You’d be hard pressed to believe that this light yet satisfying soup has no cream or dairy in it whatsoever. A great light lunch or dinner (make sure you have bread on hand), or a terrific first course, this recipe comes together quickly, uses only a few ingredients, and is delicious any time of year.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the zucchini, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt, and cook 5 minutes more. Add the water and simmer until the zucchini is tender, around 15-20 minutes.
Transfer half the zucchini mixture to a blender, add half the basil, and puree until smooth, and transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the other half of the zucchini mixture and basil. (Or, if you have an immersion blender, you can add the basil to the zucchini mixture and puree the whole thing right in the pot.) Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil over the top.
Notes
Be careful when blending: Blending hot soup in a blender/food processor needs to be done with care. If you have a machine with a chute, use it (to allow steam to escape). Otherwise, make sure to only fill your blender halfway and hold down the lid (with a kitchen towel) to stop the top from popping off from steam build-up. Give the machine breaks, opening the lid for steam to escape.
Serve hot or cold: This zucchini basil soup is refreshing enough that it can be enjoyed hot, at room temperature, or chilled and will taste delicious regardless.
Don’t overheat the basil: The reason why it’s only added right at the end is that basil can become bitter when overheated and bruised too much. The same goes for when it’s blended – try not to over-blend or overheat it to avoid any grassy/bitterness.
Adjust the garlic: I love the punch that garlic adds to this simple vegan zucchini soup. Feel free to increase the amount used/adjust it to personal taste. You could even use some roasted garlic for a more mellow, caramelized flavor.