Creamy, cozy, and super simple, this zucchini soup is made with only a handful of ingredients and no-fuss. With zucchini, shallots, broth, sour cream, thyme, a parmesan rind, and topped with sourdough croutons, this light vegetable soup is satisfying and comforting.

Why You’ll Love This Zucchini Soup

Creamy but not heavy. Blended zucchini and sour cream make this soup silky and creamy while still keeping the overall soup feeling light and healthy.
Uses fresh, simple ingredients. No complicated ingredients, just fresh shallots, zucchini, and thyme cooked with broth, sour cream, and a parmesan rind.
Great way to use up zucchini. If you’ve still got some zucchini left in your garden and you’re tired of making zucchini bread, this soup is a great way to use it up.
One-pot soup. Everything for the soup gets cooked in a big soup pot and then blended with an immersion blender. For topping, quickly toast up some parmesan sourdough croutons in the oven (use a parchment lined baking sheet for easier cleanup).
Ready in 30 minutes. With a 30-minute cook time and very minimal prep, this weeknight recipe is a great one to keep on hand for when you want a home cooked meal with little effort.

Close up of a bowl full of lightly green, zucchini soup with parmesan croutons, shredded parmesan, and chives on top.

Health Benefits of Zucchini

While often associated with vegetables, zucchini is actually a fruit. It’s high in nutrients, antioxidants, and can help fight inflammation. It’s also thought to help with vision and eye health, and it has a good amount of potassium, which can help manage blood pressure. Zucchini is also low in calories but high in fiber and water, helping you stay full and hydrated for longer. Just be sure to eat it with the skin on to get maximum health benefits. We don’t peel the zucchini in this soup either, so this recipe is packed with nutrients.

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Soup

Shallots – these give the soup a subtle sweetness and mild onion flavor.
Zucchini – no need to peel the zucchini first. It’ll all cook down together and add flavor, texture, and nutrients.
Vegetable broth – use your favorite kind. We love Better Than Bouillon brand.
Fresh thyme – thyme works really well with zucchini and adds herby notes to the soup.
Parmesan rind – using a parm rind in soup is a great way to give it a mild, nutty, cheesy flavor without the richness or thickness of cheese. Just cut off the rind of a wedge of sourdough and pop it in the soup.
Sour cream – a little sour cream blended in at the end adds creamy texture and a slight tang.
Salt and pepper – just a little for flavor. If your broth is super salty, you can use less.

Parmesan Croutons

Sourdough – we love the tanginess of sourdough croutons on top of this mild veggie soup. No need to use fancy bread here, just sliced sourdough sandwich bread.
Parmesan – use freshly shredded parmesan for the best results. You can shred up the same parmesan wedge that you use for the rind in the soup.
Olive oil – a little oil helps the croutons toast up in the oven.
Salt and pepper – just a pinch of each to start. You can always add more, if you want.

How to Make Zucchini Soup

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Add the olive oil to a large soup pot with a lid or a Dutch oven. Add the shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes to get some color on the zucchini and shallots.
Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat..
Add thyme, parmesan rind, and bring the broth to a boil. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, toss the cubed sourdough with olive oil and shredded parmesan, then add to the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Note: these can also be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
After 20 minutes of cooking, remove the thyme and parmesan rind from the soup.
Add the sour cream to the soup pot, then using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with some sourdough croutons.

Tips & Variations

Add other herbs instead of thyme for a different flavor, such as basil, oregano, or dill.
Use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Swirl in some homemade or store bought pesto for additional richness and flavor.
Make it vegan by using plant-based sour cream or coconut cream and skipping the parmesan rind.
Serve hot in fall or winter, and chilled in hot summer months, like a gazpacho.
Use slightly stale sourdough bread for crunchier croutons.

Black spoon holding up a spoonful of pale green, zucchini soup with parmesan croutons and chives on top.

Serving Suggestions

We like to serve this soup as is with a handful of sourdough crotons on top. It’s also good with a side of crusty bread or a light side salad. You can also ladle this soup into mugs and serve it as a tasty appetizer before a main dish.

Storage Options

This soup can be stored in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store baked croutons in a separate airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.