YELLOW SQUASH SOUP
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Yellow squash soup is the blessing of a summer harvest. With a smooth creamy texture, it’s healthy, light and tasty. It features a variety of veggies, fresh herbs and other delicious ingredients. So get those spoons and bowls ready. This summer squash soup is ready to eat in 40 minutes.
Bright summer squash soup is loaded with fresh seasonal flavors that satisfy the taste buds. Pureed until smooth and creamy, it has a rich velvety texture. Kid friendly and family approved, it’s a great recipe for doubling.
Summer squash soup is also a party-friendly dish. When the weather heats up, it’s the perfect choice for dinner. Make it in advance, then serve it chilled. Light and refreshing it’s the ideal starter for a 3-course meal.
Would you like to experience a super luxurious mouthfeel? Serve this summer squash soup with a variety of rich and tasty garnishes. Try sour cream, crème fraîche, plain Greek yogurt, heavy cream or olive oil. Drizzle or spoon your desired topping over the surface of the soup in beautiful swirls.
Off-set the color of this yellow squash soup with a bright sprinkle of green. Add fresh oregano leaves, fresh thyme, or bits of hand-torn basil. Enhance the summer flavor by serving the soup with juicy lemon wedges and some freshly-grated parmesan cheese. For a bit of heat add a touch of hot sauce.
Heading to the beach? Pack yellow squash soup in a thermos for a tasty picnic along the shore. Pair it with crusty bread and butter, strawberry spinach salad, watermelon arugula salad, or broccoli salad with bacon.
During times when grocery bills are spiking, this easy recipe for yellow squash soup becomes a budget hero! It’s an easy way to make use of a bumper crop of garden veggies and help you stretch your grocery budget.
Can’t get enough of this creamy summer-time staple? When fall rolls around just switch things up. Swap in butternut squash for yellow squash and serve it warm. Let this flavorful dish seamlessly take you from season to season.
🛒 INGREDIENTS
- Olive Oil: Using a bit of oil helps prevent your ingredients from sticking to the pan on stovetop. If you don’t have olive oil in the pantry, use a neutral-tasting oil like canola oil or corn oil.
- Onion: Stimulates taste receptors with their beautiful caramelized flavor that develops during the process of sautèing. If you don’t have onion on hand, use shallots or a leek (white parts only) instead.
- Carrot: This lightly-sweet veggie has a fresh luxurious taste. It’s a fantastic ingredient in this delicious yellow squash soup.
- Celery: This veggie is a classic addition to summer squash soup. Its delicate slightly-bitter flavor beautifully offsets the sweetness of the carrots and onion.
- Yukon Gold Potato: This yellow potato is a great way to enhance the golden color and creaminess of yellow squash soup. It also thickens the soup for the perfect consistency. If you don’t have Yukon Golds on hand, feel free to use another high-starch potato like russet or Idaho.
- Yellow Squash: This is the star ingredient of this healthy recipe. For the best flavor, select ripe fresh veggies. If you can find this ingredient, use fresh zucchini instead. The flavors are very similar.
- Garlic Cloves: Adds an earthy rustic taste with just a hint of nuttiness.
- Fresh Thyme: Remove the leaves from the stems (and discard the stems). The slightly lemony flavor of this fresh aromatic herb pairs perfectly with garlic and summer squash.
- Vegetable Broth: This flavorful liquid thins the soup to an ideal consistency. If you don’t have some on hand, use chicken stock instead.
- Heavy Cream: This is an excellent thickener for yellow squash soup. The creaminess adds a smooth, rich, luxurious taste.
- Butter: You can use either salted or unsalted butter. It provides a rich buttery taste that gives this yellow squash soup a silky satisfying mouthfeel.
- Lemon Juice: Activates taste buds and heightens the flavor of the other ingredients. Just a squeeze of lemon brightens the flavor of this summer squash soup. It brings out the umami.
- Sea Salt: This seasoning is a delicious flavor enhancer. Add it to taste.
📖 RECIPE STEPS
- STEP 1: Heat a large heavy pot on stovetop over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once it shimmers, add onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and squash. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the veggies for 7 to 9 minutes, or they’re tender and just starting to brown.
- STEP 2: Add garlic and thyme. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture. Gently scrape the bottom of the pot. Cook 1 minute more. Pour in the vegetable broth. Again, gently scrape brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the bits incorporate into the soup.
- STEP 3: Bring the soup to a boil. Cook it for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. With an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. (Another option: working in batches, carefully transfer the soup to a high-speed blender and process until smooth.)
- STEP 4: Add cream and butter to the pot. This will further smooth out the mixture, and give the soup a rich creamy consistency. Stir until the butter has melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with desired garnishes. Or chill to serve later.
👩🏻🍳 KITCHEN TIP: Protect the interior of your beautiful pot from scratches. Never use metal utensils when stirring soup and scraping down the bottom of the pot. Instead, use a wooden spoon or wooden spatula.
🤔 RECIPE FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions for making the BEST yellow squash soup, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Select veggies that are firm without soft or squishy spots. Odd shapes and a few blemishes are perfectly fine as the squash will be pureed. The best size is a length of 6 to 8 inches. These smaller veggies have a better overall texture with less seeds and liquid than larger-sized squash.
There’s no need to peel yellow summer squash. The skin is flavorful and nutritious. Prep the veggies by gently scrubbing them under running water. Pat dry between lint-free kitchen towels and they’re ready to cut.
Because bitter compounds are more concentrated near the stem of the veggie, slice off 1-inch at the stem end and discard it. Do a taste test. Slice off and discard a bit more of the blossom if needed.
Try adding sweet corn or leeks (white portion only). For a sweeter soup, add granulated sugar to taste. For a deep earthy flavor add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder. For a dash of heat, add 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or garnish the soup with red pepper flakes.
When stored in the fridge in an air-tight container, summer squash soup can stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Use it to make several loaves of Mom’s zucchini bread. Or like my grandma, slice the veggies into rounds and sautè with onion and garlic. Add corn, diced tomatoes, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat until tender. Generously sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.
😋 MORE DELICIOUS HEALTHY SOUPS
Soup is easy to make and so delicious. Add these healthy recipes to your meal plan rotation. Prep them in advance to enjoy on busy summer days.
- Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower Leek Soup
- Alphabet Soup
- French Lentil Soup
- Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Creamy Asparagus Soup
- Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
- Wonton Soup
RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Flavor testers rated this the BEST yellow squash soup recipe. They loved the fresh ingredients, flavors, and velvety smooth texture of this summer dish. This healthy recipe also received high marks for how easy it is to make.
If you agree this summer squash soup is creamy and delicious, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then share the recipe with a friend.
YELLOW SQUASH SOUP
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
Luxurious yellow squash soup is creamy and flavorful. Prep it in 10 minutes. Cook it in 30. Garnish with swirls of olive oil or heavy cream. Add a sprinkle of fresh oregano. Serve summer soup warm or chilled.
Ingredients
Yellow Squash Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- 1/2 cup diced Yukon Gold potato (peeled)
- 2 1/2 cups diced yellow squash
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (the juice from 1 lemon)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper, or more to taste
Optional Garnishes
- For Drizzling in Swirls: olive oil, heavy cream, plain Greek yogurt, or full-fat coconut milk.
- For Sprinkling: fresh oregano, basil leaves (chopped), or fresh thyme. Shredded parmesan cheese.
- For Squeezing: lemon or lime wedges.
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy pot on stovetop over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once it shimmers, add onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and squash. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the veggies for 7 to 9 minutes, or they’re tender and just starting to brown.
- Add garlic and thyme. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture. Gently scrape the bottom of the pot. Cook 1 minute more. Pour in the vegetable broth. Again, gently scrape brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Let them incorporate into the soup.
- Bring soup to a boil. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. With an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. (Another option: working in batches, carefully transfer soup to a high-speed blender. Process until smooth.)
- Add cream and butter to the pot. This will give the soup a rich creamy consistency. Stir until the butter has fully melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with desired garnishes. Or chill to serve later.
Notes
OPTIONAL FLAVOR BUMPERS: For sweetening, add 1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. For natural sweetness (and a bit of thickening) add sweet corn. For a bit more spice, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder. For a touch of heat add a dash of hot sauce, or garnish with red pepper flakes. For a more tangy flavor, garnish with lemon zest.
HOW TO STORE THIS SOUP: Transfer cooled soup to an air-tight container and store in the fridge. Yellow summer squash soup can stay fresh and delicious for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop, Blending
- Cuisine: American
Yellow Squash Soup 👉🏻 join the conversation
Do you enjoy eating yellow squash soup heated or chilled? What are your favorite garnishes? Share your thoughts on this summer soup below.
So delicious and so easy to prepare! Instead of heavy cream, I substituted organic coconut milk. It remained creamy and flavorful. The flavors are fresh and light and yet hearty too. A keeper!!
Donna, I’m so happy you enjoyed this flavorful soup. Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe. I appreciate it. Have a great week!