Vegan Spicy Zucchini Soup – Easy, Healthy Recipe!

This delicious and vegan spicy zucchini soup makes an excellent base for any meal! Soups are one of my favorite ways to eat vegetables, and this one is also low-carb and freezer-friendly!

Add a protein (for example, 2 hard-boiled eggs will do the trick) and perhaps a thick slice of fresh bread, and it’s perfect for work lunches or busy evenings.

Since it’s a pureed vegetable soup, it also makes a great meal prep option that you can freeze and pull out on busy nights! (Although zucchini is technically a fruit, it is low in sugar and so is generally considered a vegetable.)

The cashews and olive oil add some satisfying healthy fats so you won’t get hungry again right away. (If you follow a keto diet, you may want to skip the cashews and maybe just add an extra drizzle of olive oil on each serving in order to cut down on the carbohydrates.)

You can make this soup into a main dish by blending in some silken tofu for protein, or enjoy it as a side dish to complement whatever else you’re having.

Since this soup is pretty much just vegetables, you can feel good about eating larger portions. As a result, you might not need as much protein or something else on the side, which can save you time in the kitchen.

This delicious soup provides lots of flavor as well as being a great way to eat your veggies. Try it out for yourself – your taste buds will thank you!

Serving suggestions for this vegan zucchini soup

As with most soups, this pairs well with some crusty bread or homemade croutons.

For example, you may enjoy it with:

• Vegan garlic bread
• Frozen garlic bread in the air fryer
• Frozen breadsticks in the air fryer

This is the perfect summer soup to take advantage of fresh garden zucchini! (In addition, you can pair it with zucchini fritters and zucchini bread for dessert if you have a large harvest of fresh zucchini.)

Furthermore, zucchini is highly nutritious and full of fiber – here’s more info on the health benefits of zucchini if you’re curious.

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full instructions with cooking time for this easy soup recipe!

How to store leftover soup

Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

I like to portion out about two cups per serving into individual dishes. I leave a little room at the top for the soup to expand as it freezes. This way, it’s very easy to thaw just one serving at a time.

(Note: it is very hard to do this if you’ve frozen a whole batch of soup in one big container.)

This soup keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge or several months in the freezer.

This is one of my favorite healthy recipes to prep ahead for work lunches. (And meal prepping is the best way to make sure I don’t overspend on a takeout lunch . . .)

If you don’t usually enjoy spicy food, don’t worry. You can leave out the crushed red pepper flakes, or try just half of what the recipe calls for.

I have made multiple variations on this easy recipe based on what I had on hand (one even had carrots!), and it always came out well. I think that’s one reason it’s such a great soup. It is extremely versatile! Even with just a handful of ingredients, you’re sure to end up with a delicious result!

Culinarily speaking, the summer months are a delicious time of year with all the fresh produce (fresh tomato soup, anyone?). Some of my favorite vegetables are seasonal summer produce, and this is one of my new favorite recipes to enjoy them.

That being said, pulling out a frozen container of this leftover soup during a snow storm is a great way to get a small taste of the happy days of summer.

How thin should the zucchini slices be?

Honestly, it doesn’t make too much of a difference.

If you chop thin slices of zucchini, you’ll end up with a little more of the slightly browned, sauteed zucchini taste. This adds great flavor with little effort.

However, it all gets boiled, so it will be thoroughly cooked regardless.

Also, we blend it at the end, so no need to be super precise. Roughly chopped is just fine.

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Variations on this recipe

As with any soup, you can radically change it and still end up with a delicious result. Here are some options to consider.

Substitute yellow squash in place of the zucchini in the original recipe if that’s what’s available and in season. (I personally love yellow summer squash!)

Add protein with beans – white beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, or whatever you have handy.

Feel free to throw in any bell pepper scraps you have left in your fridge.

Make it a cream of zucchini soup!

For example, consider adding coconut cream or coconut milk for a richer, creamy soup.

If you don’t need this spicy soup to be vegan, you could add milk, heavy cream, or sour cream for a creamy zucchini soup, or even sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top.

Feel free to add fresh herbs like fresh basil, or seasonings like celery salt, cayenne pepper, or your favorite seasoning. Get creative – for example, curry powder might be fun, and Italian seasoning is very versatile.

If you are watching your salt intake, try adding just a pinch of salt rather than the whole teaspoon. Also consider using low sodium vegetable broth. You could also use homemade veggie broth or even water, as it will absorb flavor from the other ingredients.

Also if you are not vegan or vegetarian, you can of course substitute chicken broth in place of vegetable stock, and you could even add Italian sausage. (If you do follow a plant-based diet, you may be able to find a vegetarian alternative.)

Related Vegetarian Soup Recipes

You may also enjoy some of my other favorite soups:

• Vegan green goddess soup
• Irish vegetable soup
• Butternut squash rosemary soup
• German potato soup
• Mediterranean soup

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Vegan Spicy Zucchini Soup Ingredients

EDIBLE INGREDIENTS

Before you begin, you will need the following ingredients:

• 4 large zucchini squash
• 4 stalks of celery
• 1 onion
• 2-3 fresh garlic cloves
• 2 cups arugula, spinach, or your favorite leafy green
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh lemon juice has the best flavor, but bottled is fine too)
• 2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley
• 2 Tbsp olive oil (or frying oil of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• A large pot with a lid, like a Dutch oven
• Knife and cutting board
• Stirring utensil
• Immersion blender, also known as a stick blender (or you can use a regular or free standing blender)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Optional: you can use a food processor to save time on chopping if you have one. There are lots of veggies here, so this will free up a lot of time, with only a few extra dishes.

How to make this vegan spicy zucchini soup

1. First, wash and trim your zucchini (no need to peel) and celery, then dice them and set aside in separate bowls. Wash and mince your fresh parsley.
2. Then, peel your onion and garlic. After that, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. When it’s ready, add the onion and celery and cook for 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant.
4. After that, add the zucchini and saute for 3 minutes.
5. Then, add the cashews and vegetable broth, and bring the soup to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.
6. After that, add the parsley and arugula and cook for three more minutes, until the greens are softened. Remove from heat and let the soup cool for a few moments.
7. Then, use an immersion blender to puree the soup. (If you don’t have one, you can scoop out the large chunks and use a regular blender, then add everything back to the pot.)
8. Finally, stir in the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve hot and enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this delicious vegan spicy zucchini soup recipe!