This Vegan Zucchini Soup is extra creamy, delicious, and so simple! It can be ready in less than 40 minutes, and it's a great freezer meal. Make it in the summer to use up seasonal produce or in the winter when you're craving a comfort meal!
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Why You'll Love This Zucchini Soup
Creamy and vegan - This soup is vegan, gluten-free, and so delicious! It has potatoes that help to thicken the soup along with the zucchini. You could add chickpeas or butter beans to make it even creamier and to add protein. It's so easy to make and so simple!
Use up your summer produce - This soup is a great opportunity to use all your fresh garden zucchini! It's perfect for late summer when zucchini is at peak season but you can also make it pretty much any time of the year whenever you're craving something comforting.
Great for meal prep and freezer-friendly - Soups are perfect for meal prep, and this one is no different! It keeps well in the fridge, and you can even make a double batch and freeze it for busy days. It's so easy to reheat from frozen, no need to defrost!
Ingredients
- Zucchini - Pick a firm zucchini without any visible dark spots or marks. I don't usually peel it, but if yours isn't organic, you can peel it.
- Celery, carrot, yellow onion, and garlic - This is where the majority of the flavor comes from! It's the base for most of my soups, so I tend to keep them chopped in the freezer in separate freezer bags to speed things up.
- Avocado oil - I like cooking everything with pure avocado oil, but this is up to you. You can use any neutral cooking oil you have.
- Yellow potato - Because this soup doesn't have any cream, potatoes are what makes it creamy, and they help thicken it as well. I'm adding one potato, but if you want the soup thicker and extra creamy, add two.
- Vegetable broth - Use a quality vegetable broth. The soup has a lot of it so you want it to be one you like. I like using low-sodium vegetable broth to have more control over how salty the soup ends up being.
- Fresh and dried herbs - The soup is cooked with Italian Seasoning and dried bay leaves. I also add fresh parsley at the end, but chives, cilantro, or even basil would also be delicious.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice will yield the best flavor. It ties everything together and adds freshness. You can use lime juice in a pinch but I recommend lemon.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add beans - You can add chickpeas or white beans like butter beans to the soup either before or after blending to make the soup thicker and more filling with more protein. I like canned beans because they don't need any cooking and can just be rinsed and tossed in at the end of cooking.
- Add cream or coconut milk - The recipe has yellow potatoes, which help thicken the soup, but no cream. If you want the soup creamier, you can add heavy cream, soft goat cheese, crème fraiche, or canned coconut milk.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add avocado oil, chopped onion, and sea salt to a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. I add salt in the beginning because it helps to release water from the onion.
- Saute the onion for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glossy and a little caramelized.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds just until fragrant.
- Add chopped celery, carrots, and potatoes, and cook for a minute.
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- Add diced zucchini, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and vegetable broth.
- Stir and bring to a boil.
- Simmer the soup for 20 minutes over low-medium heat, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender.
- Take the bay leaves out and add lemon juice and some of the parsley. I like to add a few extra leaves before blending the soup, and the rest after; this is optional. You can add all of the parsley right away or chop it and add it after blending the soup.
- Blend the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. You can also do this in a high-speed blender, but be very careful, I recommend doing it in batches and always leaving the top middle part slightly open to avoid the blender exploding.
- Add the rest of the chopped parsley, freshly ground black pepper, more sea salt, or more lemon juice.
- Serve the soup on its own, with croutons, or with a dollop of vegan yogurt, sour cream, or crème fraiche. Enjoy!
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: Store cooled soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 4-5 months when stored properly. I like the Souper Cubes because you can freeze exact portions and then transfer them into ziplock bags.
Reheating: Defrost the soup in the fridge overnight first, or reheat from frozen in a small saucepan on the stove with a good splash of water to avoid the soup burning. Bring it to a soft boil and simmer gently until warmed through.
FAQs
If it seems bland, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh herbs like parsley. They brighten the soup and add freshness. It might also need salt. I recommend using either sea salt or Himalayan pink salt.
Similar Vegan Soups
If you want to try other vegan soups, check out any of the four listed below! To see all the latest ones, head over to Soups. You can also find many other blended soups over there.
- Broccoli and Zucchini Soup (very similar but with broccoli! Skip the cream to make it vegan.)
- Tomato Zucchini Soup (Blended and so so good!)
- Vegetable Orzo Soup (Perfect for late summer!)
- Vegan Lentil Soup (Hearty, flavorful, and partially blended.)
- Vegan Cauliflower Soup (Blended just like this one, and so creamy.)
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Print📖 Recipe
Vegan Zucchini Soup
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Zucchini Soup is extra creamy, vegan, and so delicious! It can be ready in less than 40 minutes, and it's a great freezer meal. Make it in the summer to use up seasonal produce or in the winter when you're craving a comfort meal!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced potatoes (double the potatoes for an extra-thick soup)
- 1.5 lb zucchini, diced (approx. 6 cups when diced)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1-2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (I add in a few extra leaves before blending the soup and some after)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add avocado oil, diced yellow onion, and sea salt to a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glossy and a little caramelized.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds just until fragrant.
- Add chopped celery, carrots, and potatoes, and cook for a minute.
- Add diced zucchini, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and vegetable broth.
- Stir and bring to a boil.
- Simmer the soup for 20 minutes over low-medium heat, partially covered.
- Take the bay leaves out and add lemon juice, and some of the parsley (I like to add a few extra leaves before blending the soup and the rest after, this is optional).
- Blend the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. You can also do this in a high-speed blender but be very careful, I recommend doing it in batches and always leaving the top middle part slightly open to avoid the blender exploding.
- Add the rest of the chopped parsley, freshly ground black pepper, more sea salt, or more lemon juice.
- Serve the soup on its own, with croutons, or with a dollop of vegan yogurt, sour cream, or creme fraiche. Enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 4-5 months.
Reheating: Reheat the soup in a small saucepan for 5-10 minutes or until it reaches a gentle simmer and it’s warmed through. If you’re heating it up from frozen, add a splash of water.
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