Curried Zucchini Soup
Submitted by elliecat
Creamy curried zucchini soup blended smooth with no cream needed. Curry powder and cinnamon spice up five cups of zucchini into a velvety, low-calorie soup.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minFive cups of zucchini simmered with onions, celery, garlic, curry powder, and cinnamon, then pureed until silky smooth. No cream, no butter in the soup itself. The zucchini’s natural body creates a velvety texture on its own. This is one of those soups that tastes rich but barely registers on the calorie count.
The 10-minute sautee before adding stock is where all the flavor develops. Cooking the vegetables and spices together until softened blooms the curry powder and cinnamon, extracting their essential oils into the cooking fat. Raw curry powder dumped into simmering stock tastes dusty and harsh. Sauteed curry powder tastes warm and rounded.
Cinnamon alongside curry is an unusual pairing in Western cooking, but it’s completely natural in Indian spice blends. It adds a sweet warmth that smooths out the curry’s sharper edges. A teaspoon of brown sugar does the same thing from a different angle, balancing any bitterness from the zucchini skin.
Blend in batches and never fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquid. Hot soup expands when blended, and an overfilled blender sprays scalding puree across the kitchen. Hold the lid down with a towel.
Top each bowl with a dollop of yogurt and a spoonful of chutney. The cool yogurt and tangy chutney against the warm, spiced soup creates a contrast that makes each spoonful interesting.
Kitchen Tips
- Use medium zucchini for the best flavor. Oversized zucchini have watery flesh and large seeds that thin the soup.
- This soup freezes well in portions. Thaw and reheat gently. Don’t boil after pureeing or the texture can break.
- Vegetable stock gives the cleanest flavor. Chicken stock works but changes the character from a pure vegetable soup.
- This is equally good served cold in summer. Chill and adjust seasoning before serving since cold dulls flavors.
Variations
- Coconut curry: Replace 2 cups of stock with coconut milk for a richer, Thai-inspired version.
- Roasted zucchini: Roast the zucchini in the oven before adding to the pot for a deeper, slightly smoky flavor.
- Add potato: Simmer a diced potato with the vegetables for an even thicker, heartier soup.
Ingredients
Directions
In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook zucchini, onions, celery, garlic, curry powder, salt, cinnamon and pepper, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened.
Sprinkle with sugar; pour in stock and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium; simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.
In blender, pure zucchini mixture, in batches, until smooth.
Pour into clean saucepan; reheat but do not boil.
Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Try topping with a dollop of yogurt and a spoonful of chutney.
Comments
