Food Recipes Soups Vegetable Soups Silky Zucchini Soup 5.0 (3,425) 35 Reviews Chef Grant Achatz makes this simple, creamy, sublimely silky zucchini soup without any cream at all. By Grant Achatz Grant Achatz Chef Grant Achatz is one of the most awarded and recognized chefs in the world. Known for his innovative, emotional, and modernist style of cuisine, he has been named Best Chef in the United States by the James Beard Foundation, honored by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, and has given talks and lectures on gastronomy and design at conferences and universities around the world. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 12, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 4 servings Delicate, mild-flavored zucchini as we know it is actually a fruit and an immature one at that. It's capable of growing to about three feet long, but harvesting it when it's shorter than 10 inches ensures thin skin, tender flesh, and indiscernible seeds. Zucchini flowers — squash blossoms — are edible (and delicious), and if you're lucky enough to find a zucchini with the flower still intact, you know the fruit will be especially sweet. To let the zucchini flavor truly shine in this easy zucchini soup, the ingredient list is not bogged down with heavy dairy or herbs. The creaminess is instead derived from pureeing the cooked vegetables; a bit of onion and garlic complement the squash. The finished soup is wonderful served hot or chilled, garnished with fresh julienned zucchini. Because there's no need to peel the zucchini and the flesh is so tender, prepping it is a breeze. You'll need about two pounds in total. All the ingredients are pureed save for the garnish, so don't worry too much about the aesthetics of the cut vegetables. Although you'll add salt and pepper as you cook the onion, be conservative — to avoid over-salting, it's best to taste the finished soup and add extra seasoning from there. Ingredients 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick 2/3 cup vegetable stock or low-sodium broth 1 1/2 cups water Raw zucchini, julienned for garnish Directions Julia Hartbeck Gather the ingredients. Julia Hartbeck In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Julia Hartbeck Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a simmer; cook until the zucchini is very soft, about 10 minutes. Julia Hartbeck Working in two batches, puree the soup in a blender until it's silky-smooth. Julia Hartbeck Return the soup to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Serve it either hot or chilled, garnished with julienned zucchini. Julia Hartbeck Make ahead The soup can be refrigerated overnight. Originally appeared: July 2014 Rate It Print