Zucchini basil soup.
So, what have you all been doing with your zucchini lately? Baked goods? Fritters? Maybe grilled, or roasted, or raw? It seems there’s so much zucchini come mid-July that I quickly exhaust all my zucchini recipes by August. After a few weeks of summer, I could go a year at least without setting my eyes on the squash. But not this year. This zucchini basil soup will keep zucchini in my kitchen as long as the farmers are growin’ it.
It’s fresh, creamy, with a soft but certain hit of basil. The zucchini acts as the base (and the texture if you add julienned strips of zucchini skin) but the basil’s the star; which is a good thing, as basil here in Western NJ has been on this summer.
It seems that every farm market in town is flush with basil—spicy, sweet, verdant basil—and one market is selling theirs for 99¢ a pound, damn-near giving it away. I just hope that everyone has the good sense to make soup.
The soup is quick to make, but plan a bit of time for your julienned zucchini skins to wilt once you set them aside in a sprinkling of salt, so that later when you have them in the soup they’ve got a good texture, and won’t turn to mush. It would also help to have a handyman like Howard.
While being quick to make is a plus, man if I wouldn’t cook all day for this soup. Once you sit down to a bowl, you’ll understand. It’s immediately delicious, fresh and vegetal, creamy without any cream, and then there’s a long finish that’s full of basil and a touch of salt, a taste that clings to your tongue and reminds you of sweet grass, and garden herbs, and summer.
And I’m sure your heard me, I said creamy without any cream. Without cream, or butter, and with a piddlin’ ¼ cup of olive oil, this decadent soup is healthy undercover. A big added bonus for the season of bathing suits and short shorts, since hamburgers and coleslaw seem to have forgotten that I’m trying to fit back into my bikini.
Zucchini Basil Soup
serves 3-4, from Gourmet, July 2008
- 2 pounds zucchini, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cups water, divided
- 1/3 cup packed basil leaves
Julienne skin (only) from half of zucchini with slicer; toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and drain in a sieve until wilted, at least 20 minutes. Coarsely chop remaining zucchini.
Cook onion and garlic in oil in a 3- to 4-quarts heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Purée soup with basil in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids).
Bring remaining cup water to a boil in a small saucepan and blanch julienned zucchini 1 minute. Drain in a sieve set over a bowl (use liquid to thin soup if necessary).
Season soup with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls with julienned zucchini mounded on top.
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Elements, Princeton
July 19th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Thank you for this recipe: I’ve been wondering what to do with zucchini lately. I’ve run out of ideas — this sounds and looks delicious! And I love the fact it doesn’t call for chicken broth or stock.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Thanks for reminding me – I had this bookmarked eons ago, but was in the process of a break-up, so totally forgot about this recipe! This looks so delicious.
July 19th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
This soup looks creamy, delicious and pretty to boot! What did you use to julienne the zucchini skin? A knife? The lengths are so perfectly uniform. I’ve got to try this recipe… thanks.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Thank you for this recipe. I love zucchini and adore basil so this soup sounds like heaven!
July 20th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Sounds and looks delicious!
July 20th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I have a julienne peeler–like a Y-shaper peeler but with the ability to julienne. I hate one-purpose gadgets in my kitchen, but this one is worth the couple bucks.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Me too, since I didn’t have any on hand. Since I started making my own stock, I hate to use store-bought when I run out…
July 20th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Okay, I’m so making this. Zucchini in the garden is just about to explode — I’ve been visiting it tirelessly the past couple days, watching the tiny fruits lengthen. Thanks for putting this up! I love basil too, and the simplicity of the ingredients…remind me to report back!
July 21st, 2009 at 10:04 am
That soup sounds delicious: fresh, and cool for those hot summer days!
July 21st, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Miles Slack’s farm, on Forest Grove Rd. in Furlong (Buckingham Twp., about two miles from Buckingham Valley Seafood) has some wonderful summer squash, including a variety of Italian zucchini. Unlike the smooth-skinned variety, the Italian variety has an almost stellate shape when sliced. I’ve been sauteeing them in extra virgin with salt and pepper and serving it with just a pinch of grated parmesan. Since the Italian zucchini seems to have a higher sugar content, I’m going to bet your soup recipe will do great with it. I will try it this weekend.
I also bet it will taste great served with a crisp rose. If you go to Slack’s Farm (aka Center Farm, to distinguish it from Miles’ brother’s farm (called Fred Slack’s Farm), be sure to say hello to Miles’ wife, Wanda, who runs the farm stand and is a jewel in the crown of Bucks County. Tell her I sent you!
July 21st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Delicious pictures. This looks so good. What camera are you using?
July 21st, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I’ve been burning it as kindling… Okay, maybe not. But seriously, it’s getting to that stage. This soup recipe will help prevent them from hitting the pyre. I love the idea of zucchini as the delicate background for the bright basil — lovely!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I use a Sony A100, not a great camera, but gets the job done. Thank you, Hélène. : )
July 21st, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Me too! I love how simple this is. I have a few basil plants that love to be plucked, and a giant zucchini that needs a purpose.
July 21st, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Sounds wonderful. I have fresh basil in my garden and my friend just gave me some zucchini. I am going to make chocalate zucchini cake too.
Mary
July 21st, 2009 at 11:35 pm
What a lovely summer soup! And might I add, what a beautiful bowl you have it in, too! ;)
July 21st, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I must share a corny Minnesota joke:
Q: Why do people lock their car doors in summer?
A: So no one can put zucchini in the back seat.
In case you haven’t guessed, in Minnesota and points west where I grew up, no one ever used to lock their doors. Zucchini was so common in the summer I got tired of it and haven’t been able to eat it since.
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:48 am
Thank you; not mine, it’s my soon-to-be mother-in-law’s. She has a formidable sense of style. :)
July 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I am making this — this weeekend! Cannot wait. It looks like my kind of soup.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:25 am
I think this soup could get you back in the habit. :D
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:19 am
Beautiful. I’ve definitely become a little tired of zucchini, but now my love is reborn. Can’t wait to make this.
July 23rd, 2009 at 5:44 pm
wow! I haven’t been here in a while.. your images are looking great and the blog is on fire! nice simple soup. good call on oil as the fat. if no stock then you got to have it.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:27 pm
hey stranger! love to see it’s looking so great over here. I hate to admit I’ve had to throw out so much squash this summer b/c of lack of time to make it all! i love this combo since basil is one of my all-time fave herbs. but i’m just as interested in that bowl! what a beauty!
July 25th, 2009 at 1:45 am
Mayyyyybe…I’m not much of a cook though, I’d rather look at the pictures.
July 30th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Been all about gratins lately. To be more specific, Tian. Summer in a baking dish :)
August 5th, 2009 at 5:54 am
I have never being a big fan of zucchini soup however yours looks quite romantic (by the pictures shown) and tasty. I think I have to give zucchinis a second chance.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
I just received my first share of veggies from our local farm co-op, and there was both basil and zucchini it it. My search through http://www.foodgawker.com brought me to your site.
This recipe was exactly what I was looking for – and it was awesome!
I followed the recipe to a T…with one exception – I added a splash of lemon juice just because I thought it would go well.
Thank you for posting this recipe, it was perfect.
My husband thought crab meat added after blending would be something to try next time. I agreed to try it since there most definitely will be a next time and a next and a next…
August 10th, 2009 at 5:47 am
Thanks to your recipes I have more knowledge now on making a vegetable delicious and will be like by kid. Thanks to and to tanya’s website http://vegetable-recipes.net/ you help a lot of people.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
this soup is most excellent. I just finished making it for the 3rd time. I do add a bit of chicken base to it. No other changes however.
Thanks for posting it.
Hugh in Dallas
June 21st, 2010 at 3:36 pm
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