Creamy Potato Zucchini Soup

This easy potato zucchini soup is a dreamy blend of creamy potatoes and fresh zucchini.

Pull up your sweatpants, boys and girls. You are 7 simple ingredients and 30 minutes away from comfort food bliss.

Bowl of potato zucchini soup.
  • Comforting and filling. The warming taste and texture of this soup are really comforting, and the inclusion of potatoes will ensure you feel full for a while.
  • Budget-friendly. Potatoes and zucchini are always around and won’t blow the bank.
  • It’s a 30-minute, easy-to-make meal with minimal effort required. Perfect for busy weekdays or nights. 
  • Great as leftovers. This soup tastes better over time and is a good meal to have on standby in the fridge.
  • Family-friendly; from kids to grandparents, this recipe goes down a treat with even the pickiest of eaters. 
  • It just walks the balance between healthy and delicious so elegantly it’s like poetry.
Ingredients for potato zucchini soup on a countertop

About the ingredients 

Here is what you need to know about the simple vegetables and ingredients that make up this soup:

  • Butter, unsalted. If you only have salted, that’s fine too. In this case, go easy when you season the soup with salt. If you’d prefer, you can substitute the butter in this recipe for olive oil. 
  • Leek or onion. Leek is milder than onion and is packed with gut-friendly prebiotic fiber. I love to use it in soups to change things up, but you can absolutely use onion with perfect results.
  • Fresh Garlic cloves.  This elevates the flavors of the other veggies in this recipe and rounds off the overall taste of the soup. You can leave it out if you want to.
  • Broth. Veggie or chicken broth will both work beautifully in this recipe. As the veggie flavors are quite mild, use a good quality store-bought broth as it will contribute to the end result. If you want to make your own homemade batch, that’ll be first prize.
  • Russet potatoes. These soften up and mash in so easily. You can also use Yukon gold for this recipe if you can’t get your hands on any russets.
  • Zucchini. Choose lovely plump zucchini for this recipe, take care selecting the good ones.
  • Cream. For a really silky, lush soup, use heavy cream, but for a lighter version, feel free to swap in half-and-half. You could even use milk, but in that case, add a tablespoon of flour to the cooked onions and garlic and let it cook for a minute, then gradually whisk in the broth. 
  • Salt. I like using kosher salt and tasting it as I build up the seasoning. The saltiness of the soup will intensify as the soup stands over time.
  • Black Pepper. I love this for a little pop of heat. White pepper is a real treat with potatoes too if you can find it.

How to make your own potato zucchini soup

Hold on to your spatulas; you’re not going to believe how easy this soup is to make:

  1. Add in the cubed potato and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer or boil the potatoes until soft and totally tender, for about 12 minutes. 
  2. In a large saucepan or pot, melt your unsalted butter over medium heat. Add in the leek or onion and cook it gently, for about 5 minutes or until it has softened. Add in the garlic and cook it for another minute. Stir in your broth. 
  3. Add in the zucchini, cream, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot with a lid and continue cooking the ingredients until the zucchini is just tender, 5 minutes or a bit longer will do.
  4. Blend your soup with an immersion blender or standing blender. Work in batches unless you have a Vitamix or a piece of equipment with vents. Blend on high speed until it’s silky smooth.
step-by-step instructions for making potato zucchini soup.

Serving suggestions

Check out a few of my recipes that’ll go beautifully with this soup:

Make ahead instructions

You can whip up this entire recipe ahead of time and let it wait for you in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

If you want to save a little time, parboil the potatoes a day or two before. When you’re ready to use them, you can add them to the soup as per the instructions. Just make sure you cover them and keep them in the fridge. 

The soup is so quick to make though that it’s unlikely this will save you too much time in the long run.

Storage Instructions 

When you’re ready to store your soup, start by ensuring it’s cooled off completely. 

Next, package your soup in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. This soup will keep for 3 to 4 days if chilled in the fridge. 

Person grating cheese onto a hearty bowl of potato zucchini soup

Variations of potato zucchini soup 

This soup is a fantastic base recipe to add to. Here are a few ways to adjust this recipe:

  • Vegan version: to whip up a vegan version, substitute the cream for plant-based milk or coconut cream. Use veggie oil instead of butter and a veggie broth.
  • Gluten-free version: this soup is naturally gluten free as long as you read the label to choose gluten free broth.
  • Spicy: for a little punch, add some cayenne pepper or dried chili flakes to the pot. Diced jalapenos are a good addition too.
  • Cheese and herbs: add 1/2 a cup of chopped fresh herbs and a little goat’s cheese or grated Parmesan just before serving. Basil, cilantro, and parsley will all do nicely.
  • Hearty and whole: blend half the soup only and add the other half back to the pot with the creamy base. Add in a few diced carrots, mushrooms, and celery for a chunky version.

FAQs

How do I add flavor to bland potato soup?

Season your soup with your choice of sodium, broth, salt, or veggie seasoning if you want to dial up the flavor.

What is the best thickener for potato soup?

If your soup is a little runnier than you’d expected, whisk a little cornstarch into a bit more cold broth or cream. Once smooth, whisk this slurry into the soup and let it simmer rapidly until it thickens.

Should you soak potatoes before putting them into the soup?

This isn’t necessary unless you have pre-cut your potatoes. In this case, you’ll need to store them submerged in water to avoid them oxidizing.

Pro tips and tricks

  • For an ultra-smooth soup, be sure to cook the potatoes until very tender. 
  • Add the zucchini once the potatoes are soft and cook until just tender. This preserves the beautiful bright green and fresh flavor.
  • If using a standing blender that wasn’t designed for hot foods (unlike a Vitamix, which has steam vents), puree the soup in 2-3 batches, or the steam may blow the lid off. Wear oven mitts during the blending process.

Other soup recipes you won’t want to miss

Bowl of potato zucchini soup

Potato Zucchini Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Soup
American
Keyword Potato Zucchini Soup

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 chopped leek or onion
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 cups broth
  • 1 ⅓ lbs russet potato 2 medium, cut in 1” cubes
  • 12 oz zucchini 3 small, diced
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leek and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Stir in broth.
  • Add potato, cover, and cook until very tender, about 12 minutes. Add zucchini, cream, salt and pepper. Cover and continue cooking until zucchini is just tender, 5 minutes more.
  • Blend with an immersion blender or carefully transfer to standing blender (work in a few batches unless you have a Vitamix or something similar with steam vents). Blend on high speed until smooth.

Video

Notes

Ensure your potatoes cook well and are completely soft before blending. This will help ensure you get a silky and creamy texture to your soup.
Cook the garlic gently and only for a minute or so. You don’t want it to burn, or it will turn the soup a little bitter.
Blend the soup in batches unless you have a pro machine with vents.
Recommended toppings/pairings: grated fresh parmesan cheese, black pepper, croutons, or a melty grilled cheese sandwich.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 1083mgPotassium: 639mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1441IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Potato Zucchini Soup

Last Updated on October 4, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

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Fransic verso
1 year ago

I’ve wanted soup for when I was sick but didn’t find looking through some books we had. This is going to be helpful.

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