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Zippy Zucchini Soup
By June Naylor
Photo by Meda Kessler
Feastivities GouRmet-To-Go Market & Catering
Soups make satisfying meals anytime, and cold ones are just the antidote for hot weather. At Feastivities, owner-chef Charissa Christopher rotates cool choices like vichyssoise and other vegetable-based favorites onto the gourmet-to-go market’s menus. With an abundance of squash to make the most of this time of year, here’s a way to use up all that zucchini. This refreshing soup gets a flavor buzz from fresh jalapeno — use as little or as much as pleases your palate — and change out ingredients to suit your taste, too. For a richer mix, use butter and cream instead of olive oil and milk. Adjust the flavor profile with cilantro or basil. Garnish at serving time with a good, hard salty cheese like Parmesan or Cotija cheese from Mexico. And you don’t have to rotate this soup out of your kitchen come cooler weather — it’s equally good served warm.
Zippy Zucchini Soup
Serves 4-6
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ to 1 whole jalapeno, seeds, stems and ribs removed, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2½ pounds zucchini (about 6 to 8), seeded and coarsely chopped
- ½ cup cream or milk
- 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or basil
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs, optional
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan or crumbled Cotija cheese, for garnish
Warm butter or olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion with jalapeno, garlic and salt, cooking until onion is transparent.
Add zucchini, cream or milk, broth, herbs and breadcrumbs, if using. Bring to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to very low, and simmer until zucchini is soft, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow soup to cool. Using a food processor or an immersion blender, puree in batches. If you like a soup with more texture, reserve a little unprocessed soup to combine with the pureed portion. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate, chilling thoroughly.
To serve, garnish with Parmesan or Cotija cheese.
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FEASTIVITIES This grab-and-go emporium offers a weekly menu of take-away foods, from cold salads and dips to ready-to-heat dinners and desserts. This soup is on the menu Aug. 31-Sept. 5 and may show up again in another month; it’s $6.50 per pint and $12 per quart. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; curbside service available. 3637 W. Vickery Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-377-3011, feastivitiesinc.com