Creamy Zucchini Soup with Walnuts and Dill

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This creamless yet creamy zucchini soup is thickened with walnuts. Serve it hot or cold, depending on the weather.

Spoon in a bowl of creamy zucchini soup with walnuts and dill.

If you’re swimming in zucchini and tired of the usual zucchini bread and zucchini muffins, my creamy zucchini soup is the perfect way to switch things up. Infused with Mediterranean flavors like dill, lemon, and extra-virgin olive oil, it’s proof of just how versatile zucchini can be. The best part? It’s healthy without sacrificing flavor—no heavy cream here, just the rich, nutty thickness from toasted walnuts. Plus, it’s super easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes. Whether you serve it hot or cold, this soup is a light yet comforting option anytime you’re craving something fresh and flavorful.

“Made this initially out of curiosity but it has instantly become a favorite! Wow—so good!”

Angela

What You’ll Need To Make Creamy Zucchini Soup

ingredients for zucchini soup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot, then add the chopped onions and garlic.

onions, garlic and oil in pot

Cook over medium-low heat until the onions are soft and translucent.

cooked onions and garlic

Add the sliced zucchini, chicken broth, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil.

adding the zucchini, broth and seasoning to the pot

Cover the pot and simmer for about ten minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.

cooked zucchini in pot

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a 350-degree oven for 5-10 minutes, until fragrant.

toasted walnuts on sheet pan

Add the toasted walnuts and chopped dill to the pot.

adding toasted walnuts and dill to the zucchini soup

Using a stick blender, purée the soup (alternatively, purée the soup in batches using a regular blender).

pureeing the zucchini soup with a stick blender

The soup should be completely smooth.

smooth and creamy zucchini soup in pot

Stir in the fresh lemon juice and remaining olive oil, then taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with more olive oil, and sprinkle with dill. The soup may be served hot or cold.

Spoon in a bowl of creamy zucchini soup with walnuts and dill.

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Creamy Zucchini Soup with Walnuts and Dill

This creamless yet creamy zucchini soup is thickened with walnuts. Serve it hot or cold, depending on the weather.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, cut into quarters
  • 4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 4 cups chicken broth (such as Swanson Organic)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, or 1 tablespoon dried, plus more for serving
  • ½ cup walnuts, toasted
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent. Do not brown.
  3. Add the zucchini, chicken broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.
  4. Meanwhile, place the walnuts on the prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on them as nuts can burn quickly.)
  5. Add the dill and walnuts to the soup. Using a stick blender, purée the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, purée the soup in batches in a blender. Be careful not to fill the jar more than halfway, and leave the hole in the lid open and loosely cover with a dish towel to allow the heat to escape.)
  6. Add the lemon juice and the remaining tablespoon of oil to the soup, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more salt). Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with dill, and serve.
  7. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, until completely thawed. Serve cold or reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Calories: 166
  • Fat: 11g
  • Saturated fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 13g
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 6g
  • Sodium: 629mg
  • Cholesterol: 5mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • The best cold soup ever! My husband made it and it was delicious

    • — Leslie Kirzner
    • Reply
  • Made this soup and loved it – thank you so much for the recipe! Can the asparagus soup or the green pea soup recipes here be adapted to use toasted nuts instead of cheese? My mother in law is allergic to cow’s milk and really liked this soup. I wanted to make some other varieties for her using nuts. Thanks again.

    • So glad you enjoyed the soup, Nora! Yes, I think the asparagus and pea soup recipes could be adapted to use toasted nuts in place of the cheese. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them that way!

  • Jenn,

    Thank you, thank you, thank you.
    It was amazing. You have enriched my life.

    • — Meredith Brown
    • Reply
  • I’ve made this soup several times, and it’s always a hit, served both hot AND cold.
    The only thing that I did differently, was to grind the toasted walnuts in my mini blender, before adding it to the soup. That way, I could use my stick blender in the saucepan to purify the soup.

    • — Yvonne Campbell
    • Reply
    • I’ve made cream of zucchini soup before but never used nuts. This recipe intrigued me and i am glad i gave it a try. It was really good. I also added parsley. Will definately make it again.

    • It is just amazing. The prep time is misleading .. it should account for the time spent prepping the veggies. But who cares when it’s this good? I could taste a little lemon .. walnut.. the flavors were somehow separate enough that they all came out in each spoonful. To heck with zucchini bread. This is what you should do with all that zucchini instead .

  • Hi I want to make this for xmas, however my sisters kids are allergic to tree nuts. Any idea of what I can use as a substitute, or should I omit the walnuts? I’m nervous it will change the consistency.

    • Hi Devi, you can thicken the soup with cream instead of walnuts – Hope you enjoy!

  • I’ve loved every other recipe of yours I’ve tried, but this wasn’t my favorite. It just doesn’t have much flavor to me, and I used more salt and pepper than the recipe called for. It may have been my fault, I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I’m also not sure what a “medium” zucchini would be (the ones in my store were all the same size), so perhaps mine were too large and changed the ratios somewhat. I’ll finish the pot I made, but probably won’t make again.

  • First disappointing recipe here. We found it bland, not bad with extra dill upon serving. However I wonder if it lacked flavour because I used one gigantic zucchini instead of 4 small ones (September, so remaining zucchini’s are huge). Would not make again.

    • I’m so sorry to hear this didn’t turn out well – thanks for the follow-up!

  • Will one HUGE zucchini cut down on the flavour? It’s that type of year when they are huge at the farmers markets.

    • Hi Angie, I know they can grow to the size of a baseball bat!! That should be fine; you’ll need 4 – 5 cups sliced zucchini. Hope you enjoy!

  • What a welcome find… I have been looking for “Whole30” compliant recipes, and this was a great match for my current supply of vegetables. Against your recommendation, I used an immersion blender, and the result was chunky (and messy) but still tasty! I used regular (not low-sodium) broth and omitted the extra salt. I did not find it bland. Thanks!

  • 😋 I added a dollop of sour cream. So satisfying and delicious.

    • — Denise Drummond
    • Reply

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