Spicy Zucchini Soup

Spicy zucchini soup made with fresh zucchini, jalapeno, aromatics, lemon and a touch of cream.

The best creamy zucchini soup… ever.

How to make spicy zucchini soup

Ingredients Needed

• Olive oil and butter. I like to use a combination of both for the olive oil and butter flavor. You can use one or the other if you'd like, though.
• Yellow or white onion. Either will do! We just need some aromatics in this soup to make it super delish.
• Jalapeno. For that spice! A serrano would work fine, too.
• Zucchini. You'll need about 5 small zucchini, from the market or garden!
• Garlic. Use a little or a lot, it's up to you.
• Celery salt. I'd consider this ingredient optional, but it does provide a rich depth of flavor to the soup.
• Stock. I like to use unsalted veggie stock, but if you have chicken on hand, that works too.
• Lemon. Acidic ingredients like citrus bring a bright and fresh flavor to soups (and pretty much any recipe).
  • The acid also sort of mimics salt, so you can cut back a bit on how much salt you use if you add an acidic ingredient.
• Cream. Half and half or heavy cream works well here.
  • You could even use a touch of evaporated milk.

Equipment Needed

• A cutting board and chef's knife for chopping the produce.
• A Dutch oven or soup pot to cook everything in.
• A wooden spoon.
• Measuring cups and spoons (or you can wing it).
• An immersion blender (or traditional blender).
• Bowls and spoons for serving.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Before cooking, chop all of the spicy zucchini soup ingredients and prepare your mise en place. This just means "everything in it's place".
   • It makes the cooking process less stressful and a smooth process.
2. The first step is to saute the aromatics. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil or butter to medium heat.
3. Add the onion and jalapeno and sauté 5-6 minutes or until slightly soft.
   • Add the zucchini and sauté another 5-6 minutes or until soft.
4. Stir in the garlic, salt, black pepper and celery salt 30-60 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant.
5. Next, add the stock and bring to a simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the zucchini is very soft.
   • Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
6. (Alternatively, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, then place back in the pot.)
7. Finish the soup by stirring in the lemon zest and juice and half and half or cream in the soup.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
   • If it tastes a bit lackluster, add a bit more lemon, taste again and if it's still a little bland, add a pinch of salt at a time until it tastes bright and flavorful.
9. Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Ingredient Substitution & Alterations

• Instead of olive oil or butter: Try ghee or a neutral flavored oil like avocado.
• If you don't like spicy food: Skip the jalapeno or use less.
• Instead of zucchini: Try this soup with broccoli or cauliflower or do half and half.
• For a lower sodium version: Cut back on the salt and try adding a bit more lemon juice.
• To make it gluten free: Make it as-is! This recipe is naturally gluten free.
• To make it dairy free: Skip the cream.
• To make it vegan: Skip the cream and use all olive oil (no butter).

Storage Instructions

To refrigerate:

• Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• Reheat on the stovetop until heated through or microwave 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

To freeze:

• Store in the freezer in an airtight container up to 2 months.
• Let the soup thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop until heated through or microwave 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Chef's Tip

• An immersion blender is an inexpensive, time-saving kitchen tool.
  • You can puree soups, sauces and pretty much anything right in the pot you're cooking in.
• In this recipe, once the ingredients are soft, simply use the immersion blender to puree the soup until super smooth - right in the Dutch oven!
  • No transfer necessary.
• If you don't have an immersion blender, you can certainly use a traditional blender.
  • Carefully transfer the soup to the blender and place the lid on top.
• Because the soup is hot, it can blow the lid off the blender once you turn the machine on.
• To avoid this, remove the little plastic seal on the lid of the blender and place a kitchen towel over it so some of the steam can escape.
• Hold the lid down on the blender when you turn it on.
  • Puree until smooth, then transfer it back to the Dutch oven to finish the soup.

My other favorite zucchini recipes:

• Sweet Corn & Zucchini Gnocchi Skillet
• Ricotta & Beef Zucchini Roll-Ups
• Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Muffins
• Cinnamon Crunch Zucchini Banana Bread
• Crispy Zucchini Fritters
• Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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