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Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup

If someone asked me, “Do you like soup?” my answer would probably be a meh-ish, noncommittal shrug. (I don’t know why someone would ask me if I like soup. Just play along; I’m trying to make a point.)

Generally speaking, I’m not a soup-a- holic.

But then, if I think about it, there have been some memorably delicious bowls of soup in my life. Chicken soup with liver dumplings at the Cafe Savoy in Prague. A homemade Mulligatawny Soup I made with a McCall’s Cooking School recipe card. A green curry eggplant recently in Philadelphia.

So I guess it’s not so much that I don’t care about soup, I just need it to be something out of the ordinary.

I’m more surprised than anyone to find that I’m halfway obsessed with eating soup for breakfast right now. It’s an easy way to make sure I get a dose of veggies in the morning, and because it’s warm and cozy, it fills in for tea or coffee but I can eat it. Bonus! The soup-for-breakfast thing started with an attempt to recreate the eggplant soup from Philly, evolved through the experiments that produced Golden Cauliflower Soup, and have led to my most recent favorite: Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup.

This recipe was developed during my Whole30+Autoimmune Protocol, so it’s compliant with all of those rules, which means it’s free of dairy, grains, eggs, and spices. For what it’s worth, I’ve also kept the fat content reasonable. I’m not afraid of fat, but I’m on also not on the team that thinks paleo requires diving face-first into a vat of lard. There’s enough fat in the recipe to make it taste great, but it’s not overboard.

For those of you who must follow the paleo autoimmune protocol: good news! The ginger and garlic in this recipe give it a bite, so if you’ve been missing the heat of jalapeños or other hot peppers, this gets close. You can adjust the amount of ginger up or down to manage the heat, based on your taste buds. And you will be shocked at how creamy this soup is, without the benefit of dairy or coconut milk. I even tested it with some coco milk added, but it was overkill. It’s silky smooth without the added ingredient. (If you’re a tinkerer, you should also know I tried half broccoli, half zucchini, and it wasn’t nearly as good. I’m working a broccoli-only soup next, but trust me with this one: stick to the zucchini.)

Slurp!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup

Prep 10 min | Cook 60 min | Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
4 medium zucchini, about 2 pounds, chopped*
4 cups high-quality chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon (mild) to 1 teaspoon (hotter) powdered ginger
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper, to taste (if you’re not on AIP)

*You can cut the zucchini however you like; see photo below for the safest way.

Directions:
1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil in a large soup pot on medium heat, 2 minutes. Add onions, then smash garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife or the bottom of a glass and add to pan. Stir often and cook until the onions and garlic are soft and golden, but not browned, about 7 minutes.

2. Add the other 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil to the pan, then toss in the zucchini. Stir to coat the zucchini with fat, then cook ’til beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the broth, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. Let the zucchini cook 45 to 60 minutes until it’s very soft.

4. When the zucchini is soft, heat a small saucepan over low heat and add 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add the powdered ginger and stir to make a paste. Remove from heat.

5. VERY carefully, purée the zucchini and broth in a blender or food processor, or with an immersion blender. If you’re using a blender, work in batches, filling the canister only halfway and holding a towel over the lid while you purée. Pour the purée into the saucepan with the ginger paste, and stir to combine. Add the salt and pepper.

6. Cook on low heat, 5 minutes, just to combine the flavors. Eat immediately or store in a covered BPA-free container in the fridge.

Tasty garnishes: My favorite right now is dried or fresh chopped chives. The green tops of scallions are also yummy. You would not be remiss if you drizzled a little sesame oil across the top (but only if you’re not on the AIP).

Lesson Learned #1

It doesn’t matter how you cut the zucchini since you’re cooking it until it’s very soft and then puréeing the bejeezus out of it.  However, zucchini is round, which means it rolls, and generally speaking:

rolly things + sharp things ≠ good things

Here’s what to do: Make sure your knife is sharp. Carefully (1) cut the zuke in half crosswise, then (2) cut those halves in half lengthwise to make half-moon-shaped logs, then place the logs flat side down, and (3) cut into 1/2-inch thick half-moons.

Lesson Learned #2

Use BPA-free containers with tightly fitting lids. This is what happens when your reasonably-priced, BPA-free container from IKEA bounces on your tile floor.

I love these IKEA, BPA-free containers for non-liquid ingredients. But ever since the Zucchini Soup Incident™, I use these more expensive, but more reliable, Rubbermaid BPA-free containers for liquidy things.

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32 Responses to “Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup”

  1. Maggie says:

    I have the same Ikea containers! And I’ve learned Lesson #2 the same hard/messy way lol.

    As a typically non-soup person myself, I hesitated to click on this post but I’m sooo glad I did. It sounds like it passes the “meh” vs. “ahhmazing!” test and I can’t wait to try it :-)

  2. Ruth says:

    I am OBSESSED with soup for breakfast. OBSESSED.

  3. Sara Grambusch says:

    Sounds good. I mostly get my zucchini in pancake form. :) When you cook as much as we do I think the kitchen accident percentage just must be higher!

  4. Holly says:

    Darn it! Oy, I hate kitchen blunders. Two happened to me this week – thought I was using a teaspoon, but it was a tablespoon and then I was using canned coconut and the whole can came out into my bowl all at once, was only supposed to use 1/4 cup. Darn it.

  5. Holly says:

    Yummy! I don’t think I’ll ever have it for breakfast (coffee clash) but I will make it for dinner.

    Soup is sometimes hard for me because it doesn’t fill me up very well and leaves me sort of hanging…plus without bread, how do I wipe clean the bowl and get all of the goodness? I will try this though because it sounds awesome!

  6. Salad wins over soup anyday, but this recipe looks fantastic.

  7. Kim says:

    mmmmm…..making this! I AM a soup-a-holic. I have a delicious recipe for curried zucchini soup, but since (obv) curry != AIP no curried zucchini soup for me. Hoping this will be a good stand-in.

    Glad you are finished with your AIP experiment. It’s a blessing and a curse, no? I didn’t think I would notice a difference. And I didn’t. For the first two weeks.

    Then in weeks three and four, I realized that I was feeling pretty incredible. And when I tried to re-introduce some pretty basic things like seed-based spices, I felt less incredible. I’ve been eating paleo for around 2 years and never got that super-amazingness that everybody else did. Guess I just needed AIP.

    I’m at about 60 days now and I kinda wouldn’t mind eating this way forever if I can always feel like this. Every time I try something new, the super-hero-incredible feeling goes away. Nutmeg!! Seriously? No nutmeg? Cumin? Oy! I miss you, cumin. On the bright side, the chore of re-introduction is such a time suck PITA. AIP for life! :) (Sorry for writing a book on your blog comments.)

  8. HannahMontana says:

    As a soup fanatic and a kitchen gadget-aholoic…I must ask what you recommend for an immersion blender. I am in the market for one, what do you use?

  9. Sarah says:

    Thanks for the recipe. I have a quick question: how can you make the soup super creamy and smooth? Believe it or not, I made soup like this last night — using butternut squash instead of zucchini– and I used the foodprocessor to puree it. It tasted great, but the soup had a sort of sediment (from the squash) throughout. What can I do to make it smoother? Do you recommend straining the soup before you mix it back in with the ginger paste?

    • Mel says:

      The zucchini gives it a creamy texture. Not sure what to say about butternut — it can be kind of grainy. You might try adding some coconut milk — maybe 1/2 cup — when you puree the squash.

  10. Heather says:

    I broke a glass bowl in the sink this week. The fact the it broke in the sink, and thus was easier to clean up, only slightly offset the fact that it was #4 in a dwindling set of 6. :( Will totally make this soup during the next zucchini season!

  11. Kelly R says:

    I can’t wait to try this soup!

    Coming from a family of soup-lovers, I giggled at your first comment about your “meh” feelings toward soup. I bet if you asked my dad what is favorite food is, his response would simply be, soup.

    Perhaps it is b/c I had no idea how spoiled I was growing up with a mom that only served from-scratch soups made with homemade broth and fresh veggies and herbs. I’m still working on altering my favorite recipes (beef & barley and clam chowder) into my paleo lifestyle.

  12. Joanna says:

    Hi Melissa,
    I have been following you for awhile. My 6-yr-old daughter has some health issues, and last week I took her to a naturopath dr., who put her on a soup cleanse for a week, with very specific ingredients. My husband, two younger kiddos, and I are all joining in so she doesn’t feel tortured, but it has been rough. Anyway, your soup recipes are sooooo appreciated….we are feeling the burnout on “squash soup” and “chicken veggie soup,” and your soups, that follow our ingredient list, but that I can use to switch things up a bit are such a lifesaver! So thanks. :)

  13. Lindsay says:

    Just made this and it’s delicious! After about three bites I lost the spoon and drank it from my bowl. Yeah…it’s like that. Thanks Mel!

  14. Olga says:

    Please don’t get my comment wrong, but I think you have a typo in the recipe. Zucchini doesn’t need to simmer in any soup recipe more than 15 or 20 minutes (for cooked soups) to have the proper consistence for soup.
    Is it a typo or is it part of the recipe and there is a reason for it?

    Sorry about the comment and thanks for the recipe. I actually love zucchini either in raw or cooked soups I found it delicious.

  15. Morten G says:

    I have those containers too!
    They do not microwave either but I still love ‘em to bits. I think I’m going to get my mom a couple of sets for Christmas – or maybe before Christmas since they do look a bit crap. But her two million containers with two million different lids always drive me nuts.

  16. Christina says:

    HI Mel, I’ve signed up for my very first Whole 30! I made this soup, and love it. I can’t wait to try it for breakfast! I put toasted pumpkin seeds, toasted sunflower seeds and pine nuts as a garnish. So good. Thanks for all the helpful blogging!

  17. Michelle says:

    This looks and sounds yummy Mel. It’s heading into summer over here in Australia and a tad hot but will definitely mark it down as one to make in winter.
    BTW, have started reading the sandman slim books based on the recommendation on your website. I’m reading Kill the Dead at the moment. Was just laughing at Lucifer wanting to make a movie about himself that would tell the true story and needing Sandman Slim as his bodyguard during production. Soooo funny. Had to thank you for bringing the books to my attention.
    Mich

  18. Elisabeth says:

    At home sick today and craving soup, just three ‘big’ ingredients and a bit of spice made an amazing meal. Thanks for cheering me up.

  19. Jana says:

    That was divine…thank you for the recipe. I served it with a scoop of organic plain yogurt on top, which paleo dieters probably can’t but it was delicious.

  20. Mari says:

    Thanks for this recipe!!! Made it for dinner last night, simple, easy and super YUM!!!

  21. Chris B says:

    Somehow I missed this post until you ran the Lunchbots one today. I dropped one of those BPA-free containers when I took it out of the freezer a couple of months ago. Not only did it have about 4 POUNDS of beef bones I was saving to make stock, but it actually broke into SHARDS when it hit the floor. Since I dropped it onto my bare foot, not only did my middle toe get smashed good, but I also ended up with a deep vertical slice thru the end of the toe too.
    Wish I had had a Lunchbot then … still would have had the smash, but at least no cut!

  22. [...] 6. Any soup that starts with the adjective silky is getting off on the right foot in my book. Silky gingered zucchini soup + winter + fire place = heaven.   Old Favorites 7. I have slowly been building up my tolerance [...]

  23. Jana says:

    Thank you so much for the delicious soup recipe – and I’m not even a Paleo dieter although I’m trying to convince myself. I just would need somebody to cook all those wonderful paleo recipes for me… And I’m from Prague born and raised but now living in CA. So enjoy your trip!

    • Mel says:

      One of the best ways to convince yourself is to just eat some great paleo food and little by little, eliminate the stuff that doesn’t make you feel good. Good luck to you!

      We love Prague so much — we’re hoping to live there for a few years. Really interested to see what it would be like to live in a foreign city and roll with all the surprises and cultural differences.

  24. Eliza says:

    This sounds so great, with so many great comments! I was especially happy when I thought I had found something to use up my ginger – until I noticed the *paste* part. Have you ever made this with fresh ginger??? Thanks!

  25. Lisa Van Damme says:

    Making this now with a little Vadouvan curry added. This will be my breakfast a la Mel this week.

  26. [...] made Melissa’s Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup last week and I think you should too. It’s simple, nutritious and dee-licious. I made [...]

  27. Bree says:

    This has become a regular on our meal list now, especially with the cooler weather. If I don’t have a batch of it already made, I find myself craving it like crazy. I learned my lesson and made a double batch today so I can always have some ready in the freezer. Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s nice to have something easy and delicious to whip up.

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