Creamy Italian Potato & Zucchini Soup, so easy to whip up using fresh zucchini and store cupboard ingredients. This warming and comforting soup is both creamy and delicious but there's no cream in sight!
I love to make this creamy zucchini soup for a quick lunch or light dinner with lots of crusty bread for dunking.
You won't believe how much flavour is packed in this soup with just a few simple ingredients.
I first tasted this soup in a small trattoria in Le Marche years ago and have been making it ever since.
It's creamy, smooth and delicious with a hint of parmesan and better yet it's healthy...yup there's no cream in sight!
Oh and if you're looking for even more ways to use zucchini you've got to try our Grilled Zucchini Salad with Melon & Prosciutto (the perfect light lunch) and a great pairing with this soup.
Ingredients for Making Creamy Zucchini Soup
- Zucchini (courgettes) - Medium to large sized
- Onion - yellow onion (or white in the UK)
- Garlic - fresh, don't use garlic powder as a substitute because it just won't work. You need the fresh taste here.
- Potato - the secret ingredients to a creamy soup without cream. It gives you a luscious, silky smooth texture as well as adding flavour!
- Chicken stock - use the highest quality you can get your hands on or homemade if you have it.
Prep Your Veggies
A great tip especially if you're not confident in the kitchen is to prep all your veggies before starting the recipe.
I like to state how everything needs to be prepared in the ingredients list to make this super easy for you.
Tip: you don't have to peel the zucchini for making this soup!
How to Make Creamy Italian Potato & Zucchini Soup - Step by Step
Add olive oil to a large pot and saute the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer (photo 1).
Add the grated zucchini and saute for 1-2 minutes (photo 2).
Add the potatoes and chicken stock and bring to boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes (photo 3).
Turn off the heat and using a handheld blender (immersion blender) blend the soup until smooth and creamy (photo 4).
Does Zucchini Soup Freeze Well?
Absolutely, this soup freezes really well. Just store it in suitable containers and thaw completely before reheating.
You can also store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Look how creamy this zucchini soup is and there's no cream in sight!
To give this soup a richness I love to add a knob of butter in at the very end.
The end result is comforting, smooth and delicious!
Top Tips for Making Creamy Zucchini Soup
- Use high-quality chicken stock for best flavour.
- If your stock is high in sodium you probably won't need to season with more salt so taste it before adding.
- You can also use vegetable stock.
- This soup is delicious served with a hunk of crusty bread or grilled ciabatta drizzled in olive oil.
- Serve with an extra grating of parmesan, it melts on top and adds an extra cheesy kick!
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen.
This soup is great for a relaxed weekend lunch or cozy dinner when it's chilly out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Other Delicious Soup Recipes to Try;
- Pappa al Pomodoro - Tomato Bread Soup
- Roasted Vegetable Soup
- Wild Mushroom Soup
- Cinnamon Pumpkin Soup
- Pastina Soup (Italian Chicken Noodle Soup)
- Pasta Fagioli Soup – Pasta & Beans
If you've tried this Creamy Italian Potato & Zucchini Soup or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I'm getting up to.
Creamy Italian Potato & Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , diced (white onion UK)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced or grated
- 3 medium zucchini (courgettes) , grated using a box grater (900g/1.9 lbs)
- 1 large potato , cut into medium-sized chunks
- 4 cups chicken stock (1 litre)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1 knob (1 tbsp) butter (optional)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large pot and saute the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer.
- Add the grated zucchini and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and chicken stock and bring to boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and using a handheld blender (immersion blender) blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the grated parmesan and butter if using and season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Use high-quality chicken stock for best flavour.
- If your stock is high in sodium you probably won't need to season with more salt so taste it before adding.
- You can also use vegetable stock.
- This soup is delicious served with a hunk of crusty bread or grilled ciabatta drizzled in olive oil.
- Serve with an extra grating of parmesan, it melts on top and adds an extra cheesy kick!
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen.
Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Anthea Varriano
This soup was FANTASTIC! I made it for our Nightmare Before Christmas Themed Dinner and the entire family loved it. Not to mention it's super healthy! This will definitely be one of my go-to recipes moving forward. Feel free to check out our themed dinner at https://inspiringmagicalmemories.com/nightmare-before-christmas-themed-dinner/
Thanks for the great recipe!
Emily
Wow, I absolutely LOVE your Nightmare Before Christmas themed dinner it's so creative and fun! I'm so happy you enjoyed the soup as part of it, thanks so much for sharing!
Val
Was surprisingly delicious..I added a large dollop of sour cream once blended and just mixed, added a nice flavorful touch. Will certainly make again with the abundance of frozen zucchini I have in my freezer from our garden.
Genevieve Alexander
I absolutely love zucchinis - so this recipe was a must to try. Gorgeous. I can't believe I didn't have to add cream.
Emily
So happy that you enjoyed it! I recreated it after having it multiple times at a restaurant in a small town in Le Marche region….I couldn’t believe how simple and delicious it was 🙂
Linda
This soup turned out perfect and was easy to make. Delicious so will be making it again. Was skeptical because didn’t think it would be flavourful, will be on bookmarked list now. Absolutely delicious.
Emily
That's so great to hear, happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Krista
I literally just finned making it, am eating it now and it's delicious! I forgot the knob of butter, but it's awesome without it! Healthy recipe and no guilt eating a monster 2 cup bowl!! LOL
Inside the rustic kitchen
Hahaa I often go for a second bowl it's totally guilt-free :-D! So happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Casey
We had this for supper tonight and it did not disappoint! Who knew such simple ingredients could be this good! I’ve already passed the link on to a friend!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Hi Casey, aw I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Thanks so much 🙂
JT
Hi, great recipe. I combined it with another recipe and added a half cup of fresh basil leaves and some cayenne or Sriracha for some heat. Also I used a medium sweet potato instead of white. Came out velvety smooth with a touch of sweetness, fresh and light with a kick of heat. Perfect and healthy! Thanks.
Jerry
5 Stars. I skipped the butter and cheese for health reasons but used leftover roasted fingerling potatoes with skins. Fantastic potato flavor. Great soup and very healthy.
Inside the rustic kitchen
Hi Jerry, thanks so much for the review, so happy you enjoyed it!
Alison
This recipe is fresh and delicious. I'm so excited we're reaching autumn and it's soup season again. I don't usually think of using zucchini in soup, it's such a unique recipe and is on my weekly meal plan for this week!
Beth
I love this creamy (without the cream) recipe!! You had me sold with the mention of crusty bread too!! Delish!
Kelly Anthony
I really like that you added the potato to add creaminess to the soup without adding a bunch of cream. Such a great idea.
Inside the rustic kitchen
Thanks so much Kelly!
Megan
Thanks so much Emily for another delicious recipe. Such an easy recipe that is so flavorsome.
Jas @ All that's Jas
There's something so satisfying about creamy soups. The season is just perfect for a bowl full of comfort. Love it!
Inside the rustic kitchen
I know, I love creamy soups too!
Bernadette Conroy
Hi, by weight, how much did y'all zucchinis, potato and onion weigh, individually of course, before processing; or perhaps, how many cups full of stuff did it measure out to be. Thanks. This sounds exactly what we had to eat in a restaurant two nights ago, an trying to recreate it!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Hi Bernadette! Sorry, I'm a little late in getting back to you. I didn't weigh the vegetables for this recipe. I always use 4 medium sized zucchini to 1 potato. The potato is what gives the soup a thick and creamy texture so 1 medium to large sized potato is all it needs. I have made this soup serval times and it always turns out really delicious. Hope you enjoy it!
Calleigh - TheForkBite
I absolutely want to try this soup. I’ve been told it’s like a broccoli cheddar soup without the broccoli or the cheddar. I love this kind of texture which is thick and creamy.
Patty
This soup looks so delicious Emily, I love zucchinis in soups, will try your recipe! 🙂
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
This sounds amazing, and anything that can give me that creamy mouthfeel without cream is a WINNER in my book!
Kristen Chidsey
Isn't it amazing how simple ingredients can just be down right incredible. This soup look like perfection to me.
Inside the rustic kitchen
I know, simple food is always my favourite. Thanks so much Kristen.
sara | belly rumbles
This IS my perfect dinner with some crusty bread, loving your recipe. Simply delicious.
Inside the rustic kitchen
Thanks so much Sara!