Delicious Creamy Basil Zucchini Soup

This creamy zucchini soup is a tasty way to use up the summer squash. This is my favorite summer soup. And I’m a huge soup fan, so that’s saying a lot.

Prep and Cook Time: 45 minutes. Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4 in. thick
• 4 cups reduced-sodium or homemade chicken broth
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, washed and stemmed, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche (see Notes), plus more for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook another 2 minutes; then add chicken broth and 1 cup basil leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
2. Purée the soup in batches in a blender. Pour the soup through a strainer into a bowl, using a ladle to push any solid bits through. Add 2 tbsp. crème fraîche and 1/4 tsp. chili powder. Season with salt to taste.
3. Divide soup among bowls and garnish each with some crème fraîche, a sprinkle of chili powder, and a few basil leaves.

The Twist: Dress It Up. We love the simplicity of this soothing, mild soup, but to make it a little fancier, skip garnishing the soup with crème fraîche, chili powder, and basil in step 3, and instead halve 1 roasted red bell pepper, removing seeds and stem. Slice half into ribbons. Put the other half in a blender and purée with 1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream. Strain into a bowl then drizzles over soup. Top with bell pepper ribbons and toasted pine nuts.

Notes: If you can't find crème fraîche, just use sour cream.

Nutritional Information Calories:101 (45% from fat) Protein:5.5g Fat:5g (sat 1.7) Carbohydrate:11g Fiber:2.5g Sodium:440mg Cholesterol:4.7mg