Last updated on August 2nd, 2022 at 07:06 pm
A healthy and simple vegan zucchini soup with only 3 ingredients! You read that right - this zucchini soup is vegan, gluten-free and it is melt in your mouth good.
This recipe was originally posted October 8, 2020 and updated with images, instructions and serving suggestions on Thursday 15 July, 2021.
"What a fantastic way to use zucchini, especially when you have heaps of them in the garden which is often the case! Easy, warming and delicious 🙂" (Sarah) ★★★★★
With only a handful of ingredients, you can have the creamiest zucchini soup on the table in 30-minutes.
Fun fact; I spend most of my days chasing my own butt. I am not what you would call an organised person so recipes like this cream of zucchini soup have saved my vegan bacon many times.
Like every adult walking the earth, my life is messy. Blessed, but messy. Beautiful, but messy. Bountiful, but oh-there's-a-hole-in-my-dog's-poop-bag messy.
Soups help me navigate my beautifully messy life. Whether its pumpkin lentil soup with ginger, a comforting bowl of vegan chicken noodle soup or a hearty vegan mushroom soup, soups are simple, quick and soothing.
On the days I've worn my pants inside out and forgotten to pack my kid's lunch, I need easy. This creamy zucchini soup could not be easier.
Why You'll Love This Soup
This vegan zucchini soup is:
- Deliciously creamy,
- Naturally gluten-free - we use cashews to thicken this zucchini soup rather than flour
- Vegan! No cream, no butter, just plants
- Kid-friendly - little tummies will love this soup's clean, simple flavour
- Ready in less time that it takes to get a pizza delivered and
- Has only 3 ingredients!
What You'll Need | Ingredients
To make the simplest vegan zucchini soup, you'll need three ingredients. Yup, just three.
Cashews, vegetable stock and zucchini. That's it.
I also season with salt and pepper to taste (I am not counting them as ingredients because...well, they're salt and pepper) and occasionally add a dollop of vegan butter but the base is - cashews, stock, zucchini.
Cashews. Creamy and delicious cashews bring this soup come together. You are going to need raw cashews and and there is no real substitution. I've tried blanched almonds and it just wasn't creamy or smooth.
Zucchini (courgettes). I developed this recipe because our builder gave me a bag of the biggest zucchini I've ever seen.
As zucchini gets older and bigger it gets more bitter - that's why this recipe calls for you to peel the skin. However, when shopping for the best zucchinis, look for small, firm fruit with blemish-free green skin. You can keep unwashed zucchini in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a container or produce bag.
Stock. I use simply vegetable stock for this soup. Go ahead and use your favourite brand.
How To Make The Creamiest Vegan Zucchini Soup Ever
This super creamy zucchini soup is literally child's play if you let your child play with hot pans in the kitchen. In 3 steps you'll have this gorgeous vegan soup on the table.
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1: Peel and chop your zucchini.
Step 2: Throw all the ingredients in to a large pot over medium heat and cook until the cashews are tender, around 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from the heat, allow the soup to cool slightly before blending it until smooth and silky.
Serving Suggestions
Top with fresh greens and crunchy seeds or simply serve with crusty bread - this creamy vegan zucchini soup works both hot or cold. Whatever floats your boat.
I usually serve it plain with salt and pepper but these toppers take it to the next level.
- Vegan parmesan
- Crunchy sourdough croutons
- A swirl of infused olive oil - I've served with olive combined with a spoon of basil pesto
- Roast salted chickpeas
- A dollop of spiced yoghurt - try a hint of curry powder
Recipe FAQs
Yes and no. Sorry, it's not a straight forward answer. The larger a zucchini is, the older it is and the more tough and bitter the skin. My rule of thumb is, anything bigger than my hand I peel for this soup.
I created this recipe when our builder gave me a bunch of zucchinis from his garden. They were huge and the skins were tough so I peeled them. If you can get your hands on small, young zucchini you can forgo the peeling.
You can! Because the soup is well blended it can be frozen without separating. Simply allow it to cool completely, transfer it to a freeze-safe sealed container and freeze for up to a month.
Around 3-4 days. Keep it in a sealed container and give it a good stir before heating it up on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Your zucchini soup should be smooth and silky. If you are using older cashews cook the soup for longer, around 30 minutes. When ready, the cashews should easily break apart between your fingers.
A high powered blender makes short work of this soup. If your blender isn't super powerful, blend the soup in batches and really blend it.
Properly stored, zucchini will last up to a week. The best way to keep zucchini is to store it unwashed and whole in the refrigerator.
Zucchini needs good ventilation to keep fresh. Store it in a paper or plastic bag but make sure that one end of the bag is open to allow air. Alternatively, you can poke some holes in the bag.
Love your soup? Try these other delicious recipes:
Hungry for More Plant-Based Goodness? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the latest news and updates. If you like this recipe, please check out my cookbook. Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family is full of simple, carnivore-approved family recipes.
Creamy Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 1 kilogram peeled zucchini roughly chopped
- sea salt optional
- pepper optional
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter spread optional
Instructions
- Combine the cashews, stock and peeled zucchini in to a medium soup or saucepan over medium heat and bring up to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the cashews are tender and break between your fingers.
- Remove from the heat and carefully transfer the soup to a blender. Season with salt and pepper and add the vegan butter (if using). Blend until the soup is completely smooth to serve. You may have to blend in batches depending on the size for your blender.
Notes
A high powered blender makes short work of this soup. If your blender isn't super powerful, blend the soup in batches and really blend it.
Laura says
Delicious! I added a few handfuls of chickweed towards the end. The flavours were compatible
Amanda says
Ohhhhh Laura, that sounds good! I would never have thought of it. Nice. 🙂
Cliff says
Have you tried this eating this soup cold?
Amanda says
I have. I drizzled a little basil oil on it and it was delicious.
GAil says
Made this tonight and it was a hit at our house, including my 81 year old Mom who also loved it. Thank you!
Amanda says
Oh, that fantastic Gail. It's such a simple soup, isn't it? I am so glad your Mum liked it too! x Thanks so much for letting me know.
Penny says
This is so good !
Amanda says
Awesome Penny! I am so glad you liked it. I love this soup too - it's a bit of a winner. Have a great day, x.
Dave says
Made this soup in the summer and loved it. Made it again last night with frozen zucchini and still delicious. Thanks.
Amanda says
That's so good to know that it works with frozen zucchini - super handy. Thanks for letting me know, Dave. 🙂
Jaimie says
Perfect soup weather and I love how healthy and refreshing this looks. Thank you for sharing!
Amanda says
Thanks so much Jaimie. Is it as cold where you are as it is here? Perfect soup weather.
Sarah says
What a fantastic way to use zucchini, especially when you have heaps of them in the garden which is often the case! Easy, warming and delicious 🙂
Amanda says
Oh, thanks Sarah. I love this soup - it's such a great one for the whole family.