My Italian zucchini soup is a light and flavorful meal that is ready in just 30 minutes. Fresh zucchini is cooked with canned tomatoes, fennel, basil and parsley. Mamma Mia, it is good.
I have just harvested my final batch of zucchini from the garden. High time to share the zucchini soup recipe I have been making all summer!
This healthy, budget-friendly soup is a great way to use up the glut of zucchini when they are in season. But, is so much more than a summer soup. It is a delicious way to enjoy fresh vegetables and bright Italian flavors all year round.
I make big batches of this zucchini soup (or courgette soup, as it's called here) and freeze it in portions. This way, I always have a steaming bowl of soup at the ready to nourish the belly and the soul.
Also try my keto tomato soup!
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What's To Love About This Recipe
Quick and easy - Italian recipes shine in their simplicity, and so does this zucchini tomato soup. This is a one pot meal with 5 minutes prep, ready in half an hour.
Tasty - Zucchini has a mild, gently sweet taste that needs exciting friends to shine. I have paired it with Italian kitchen staples like fennel, garlic, tomato, basil and optional parmesan cheese. The flavors work together like a dream.
Naturally low carb - Zucchini is a popular low carb vegetable, and one generous main course serving of soup is 8.6g net carbs. A smaller serving passes as a keto zucchini soup - with 5.7g net carbs per cup/240ml.
Ingredients
Let's talk ingredients. You'll find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but I wanted to give you a bit of extra info right here:
- Zucchini (courgette) - I used medium sized zucchini which I sliced into half moons. Larger ones may need to be quartered or cubed. We are looking for bite-sized pieces. There is no need to peel the zucchini. The skin is soft and packed with nutrients.
- Fennel - My secret ingredient. Sautéed fennel tastes sweet and mellow with a hint of anise flavor. It adds an exciting dimension to the soup.
- Other Veggies - Onion, celery and garlic. This trio makes any soup taste more aromatic.
- Tomatoes - I used a can of cherry tomatoes. My favourite brand is Mutti.
- Stock - This time I used a vegetable stock cube. But, chicken broth is also perfect for veggie soup as it adds tons of flavor.
- Spices - Sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes for a spicy kick and bay leaves to add a herbal aroma.
- Apple cider vinegar - a touch of acidity brightens and balances the flavor.
- Herbs - Parsley and basil. Must be fresh rather than dried!
- Parmesan - We grate this over at the end. I recommend to shave it from a block of parmesan. Tastes so much better this way.
Instructions
It is simple to make an Italian zucchini soup. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Sauté the onion, celery, fennel and garlic in on medium heat until soft.
STEP 2
Add the zucchini, salt and pepper and bay leaves. Sautéeing the zucchini adds additional flavor!
STEP 3
Pour in the tomatoes, vegetable stock and chilli flakes. Simmer on a medium to low heat until the vegetables are tender.
STEP 4
Add the apple cider vinegar and adjust the seasoning to taste. Stir through the chopped herbs and top with parmesan.
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Zucchini: Small or medium sized zucchini are more aromatic than large ones. They also have less seeds.
#2 Tomatoes: I recommend canned cherry tomatoes because they are more flavorful than regular tinned tomatoes. I crush a few with the back of a spoon to release more flavor.
#3 Fennel: Slice it finely, this way it becomes softer and simply tastes better. I used a mandoline.
Variations
The soup is perfect as it is. But, If you dislike fennel, just leave it out. I'd double the amount of celery or add a leek instead.
Italian sausage is a great choice for everyone who can't do just vegetarian.
Starchy add-ins that work are pasta, cannellini beans or even potatoes (for all hungry carb-loving family members). A low carb pasta alternative are palmini noodles.
Serving Suggestion
Serve fennel zucchini soup with crusty bread! I love this keto focaccia. Or, make these quick almond flour biscuits.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Plum tomatoes may be most suitable, they are nice and juicy. I would blanch them first to remove the skins, then cube them.
There are fantastic brands of dairy-free parmesan available now. My go-to is Violife.
The easiest way is to remove a couple of ladles of vegetables from the soup and puree them with a stick blender. Then, stir the mixture back into the soup.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or, freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
More Easy Soup Recipes
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Recipe
Italian Zucchini Soup Recipe (Low Carb)
Equipment
- 1 large soup pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced (70g)
- 2 ribs celery diced (80g)
- 1 fennel finely sliced (200g)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 - 4 zucchini cut into half moons (12oz / 350g)
- ¾ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 can cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes, 14oz / 400g
- 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, 1 litre
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or chilli flakes
- ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
To Serve
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoon basil chopped
- ¼ cup parmesan 30g
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot.
- Add the onion, celery and fennel and sauté on a medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
- Add the zucchini, salt and pepper and bay leaves for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes (if using whole cherry tomatoes, crush a few with the back of a spoon), stock and chilli flakes.
- Simmer on a medium / low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes to release the flavours.
- Add apple cider vinegar and adjust the seasoning to taste. Stir through chopped herbs and top with parmesan.
Linda
Delicious soup - easy and quick to make, with lots of flavour