Zucchini, Lentil, and Rosemary Soup
Boiling zucchini usually results in a watery mush, but I lean into that breakdown to create a naturally thick, vegetal broth without dairy. The trick is cooking the vegetables until they completely disintegrate, then blending them with starch-releasing lentils for a creamy, cohesive soup that tastes deeply of the garden.
Ingredients
Ingredients (~10 servings)
- 5 medium zucchini about 2 lbs, roughly diced
- 1 large head of celery stalks and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 large bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley stems and leaves chopped
- 3 large leeks white and light green parts sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 8 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 large white onion diced
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes about 5-6 medium, peeled and diced
- 2 1/4 cups green lentils rinsed
- 5-6 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 6 cups water plus more as needed
- Olive oil for serving
- Salt black pepper, white pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in stockpot, sauté onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes until soft.
- Add leeks, celery, potatoes, parsley, zucchini, and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer 7 minutes, then add lentils and water. Include rosemary sprigs.
- Cover and cook 35-45 minutes until lentils are tender and potatoes break down.
- Rest 10 minutes. Remove rosemary stems.
- Remove 3 cups solids, then blend remaining soup until creamy.
- Return reserved solids to blended soup, stirring to create rustic texture.
- Taste and season with salt, white pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Serve with drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Use high-quality olive oil for finishing. Soup will need significant salt to enhance flavors.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you liked it below!