Creamy Basil Zucchini Soup Recipe

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Basil zucchini soup is a delicious and nutritious meal. Learn how you can prepare one by reading this post.

I’m absolutely thrilled today to introduce you to Susan Conley of the beautiful blog, Cook the Stone! I’m so grateful that she has created this Creamy Basil Zucchini Soup Recipe for us. Her Photos are gorgeous, aren’t they? Should you wish to find out more about Susan and her work hop over to Cook the Stone or visit her on Facebook and Twitter

Most foodies I know associate summer with thirst-quenching beverages such as watermelon juice and iced tea. Others think of outdoor grilling. But only a few realize that there are many vegetables that are in bounty during this season and which they can make good use of in the kitchen.

Zucchini is one of those vegetables. This summer squash is one of the best vegetables for losing weight. It is low in calories and high in dietary fiber. It is high in vitamin C which can help in preventing colds, coughs, and other diseases. It is also packed with potassium, protein, carbohydrates and vitamin A.

Aside from being very nutritious, zucchini is versatile, too. In fact, you can eat raw zucchini. There are plenty of ways to cook it as well. You can use it for soups, like the recipe I am sharing below.

You can add it to salads. You can use it to make bread. You can even make a zucchini pasta.

History of zucchini

Zucchini has been around for a long time. There are reports indicating that this summer crop was being eaten by humans as early as 5500 B.C. The early civilizations in Central and South America are said to be among those who cultivated and integrated zucchini in their diets.

Zucchini has a shape that is very similar to that of a cucumber. Today, it is widely grown in Italy, China, Japan, Romania, Turkey, and Egypt. In the Americas, Argentina is the top producer.

What makes this summer squash even more popular among planters is that it can easily grow. In fact, you can grow one in your backyard and you could end up with a bumper crop once summer comes along.

Health benefits of zucchini

You can get a lot of health benefits from consuming zucchini. If you want to lose weight, then zucchini is one of those vegetables that you should be incorporating into your diet. Aside from being low in calories, zucchini boasts of high water content. It is also rich in fiber.

Eating zucchini is good for your heart, too. It contains nearly 300 milligrams of potassium per cup. This is about 10 percent of the recommended daily value. Potassium aids in lowering blood pressure by negating the harmful effects of sodium on the body.

Zucchini is also rich in vitamin C which not only prevents and cures coughs and colds but also lower blood pressure. A cup of sliced zucchini already has 33 percent of the recommended daily value for the said vitamin.

Health benefits of basil

Before I go to the recipe, let’s discuss briefly the health benefits of basil which will also be used in the said zucchini soup recipe.

Basil is an herb that is native to Asia, particularly India. It is a staple ingredient in Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian cooking.

Of course, you might know basil as a primary ingredient in pesto sauce.

Basil has many health benefits, too. It can help reduce inflammation and pain caused by arthritis. It has also been linked to fighting off the effects of aging. And it is rich in antioxidants that can prevent diseases such as cancer.

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Creamy Basil Zucchini Soup

This recipe should take about 45 minutes to finish. It makes four to six servings.  You can serve this soup with thick baguette slices. This creamy basil zucchini soup is a delicious and satisfying meal. It should be a hit among your family members and guests.

Servings 4

Author Susan Conley

Ingredients

• 2 pounds zucchini sliced into about a quarter of an inch
• 4 cups homemade chicken broth
• 1 cup basil leaves washed and stemmed
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Add the olive oil in a saucepan placed over medium heat. Cook the onion until it becomes translucent. This should not take more than 5 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini and cook it for 2 minutes before adding the chicken broth and the basil leaves. Lower the heat and cook it for about 20 minutes.
3. Let the soup cool down before pureeing it in batches. Pour it through a strainer into a bowl. Use a ladle to push solid bits through the strainer.
4. Add the sour cream and chili powder. Season with salt.
5. Divide the soup among bowl. You can then garnish each bowl with chili powder and extra basil leaves.

Recipe Notes

Tip: You can also make things more interesting by skipping the chili powder and basil garnishing. Instead, split a roasted red bell pepper and remove its stems and seeds.  Slice one half into ribbons while place the other half in a blender. Puree it with half a cup of sour cream. Strain this into a bowl then drizzle over the soup.  Top the soup with the bell pepper ribbons.