Photo by iStock/yulkapopkova
Preserving your summer bounty not only helps avoid food waste but also allows you to savor homegrown nutrition long after the harvest ends.
40 min DURATION
25 min COOK TIME
15 min PREP TIME
6 servings SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 pounds zucchini, trimmed and sliced thin
- 2 teaspoons kelp granules
- 4 cups vegetable broth (homemade or store-bought)
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced thin, plus additional for garnish
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds, plus additional for garnish
Directions
- In a large saucepan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add bay leaf, zucchini, kelp, broth, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Increase heat to bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a low simmer for 10 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
- Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, and add basil and hemp seeds. In batches, transfer to a blender, and puree until smooth, or use a hand blender.
- Return blended soup to stovetop and keep warm on lowest heat until ready to serve — adjust seasonings as desired. Serve warm, drizzled lightly with olive oil and sprinkled with hemp seeds and freshly ground black pepper. Scatter a few basil leaves over the top.For freezer friendly tips visit: Freeze Your Foods for Fall
Zucchini is pleasurably deceptive. Who would have thought that it could be transformed, with just a little puréeing, from a watery vegetable into a creamy, satisfying soup? Here, its subtle flavor is enhanced by a note of umami from kelp, and a bright perk from basil. For a simpler variation, swap out the suggested garnishes with a spoonful of tapenade.
