Zucchini Soup Recipe

Zucchini Soup

Original recipe: Lisa Bryan, downshiftology.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 4 medium zucchini (1 ½ to 2 pounds) skin on, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth or more as desired for a thinner texture
• ¼ cup raw cashews
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (dill, basil, or parsley work great), plus more for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, and stir for another minute.
2. Add the zucchini, broth, cashews, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.
3. Add the chopped herbs and lemon juice to the soup. Then use an immersion blender (stick blender) to blend the soup until smooth, or transfer the soup in batches to a high-powered blender, and blend for just 15-30 seconds, until smooth. (I find that a high-powered blender tends to make this soup a bit smoother in texture, rather than an immersion blender. Both work great, it’s really just up to you and your preference on texture.)
4. Ladle portions of the zucchini soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs.