Chilled or Warm Zucchini Crema Soup (cream free)
Who says we have to say goodbye to summer!? Zucchini crema soup to enjoy chilled or warm (cream free) & just as creamy. Why not combine the flavors of summer with some heartier fall vibes & get the best of both worlds!?
This vegan and gluten-free zucchini, leek, & potato soup is one of my favorites to serve chilled or warm. The brightness of summer squash & the delicate leek flavor lends itself well to summer, as a nice alternative to gazpacho or vichyssoise. As fall rolls around, the potato adds the creaminess we crave in colder temps and is simply delightful served warm.
It’s so incredibly easy to prepare, with few ingredients, and takes just a little bit of time to blend it all together. I love serving it as an elegant start to a big meal or as a treat for your taste buds during a weekday lunch. This soup is hearty and healthful, filling you up just the right amount so you don’t overindulge later in the meal and keeps you completely satisfied until the next time you eat.
Talk about supporting your summer glow with this soup! Short of using this soup as a face mask, the zucchini may as well act as nature’s facial. Summer squash is packed with moisture and skin-friendly vitamins A, E, & C. Hello building collagen and fighting damage from free radicals and goodbye saggy skin & puffiness! Zucchini also contains a ton of fiber & not many calories, making it the perfect nutrient dense food that will get you to your daily fiber goal!
I promise you won’t miss the cream in this soup. It’s built right in! Who’s team soup!?
RECIPE BELOW!
Chilled or Warm Zucchini Crema Soup (cream free)
YIELDS 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil divided in two
1/2 cup bone broth or vegetable broth divided (I love using Brodo)
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled & roughly chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 large leeks white and light green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
3 medium zucchini cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/8-inch half-moons (save a few thin slices of zucchini to crisp up at the end)
1-1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
1 pinch chili flakes
PREPARATION
In a large sauce pan, heat 1/2 the olive oil over medium heat, add the potatoes, 1 sprig of thyme, salt & pepper to taste and sauté, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until soft. Add a tablespoon or two of broth during this process. Set aside, removing the sprig of thyme.
In the same sauce pan heat the other half of the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic, leeks, zucchini, 1 sprig of thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Add the rest of the broth in and stir occasionally for another 7 minutes, or until veggies are soft.
Add zucchini and leek mixture along with the potatoes to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth.
Crisp up the few thin zucchini slices in the same sauce pan with a little olive oil. It’s ok if they are overly browned. It’s just to add some texture to the soup. Plate your soup by topping it with the crisp zucchini and chili flakes. I also like to sprinkle a little parmigiano reggiano on top! Let it cool in the refrigerator to serve chilled, serve as is, or warm it up in a pot. BUON APPETITO!