No Cream Creamy Zucchini Soup with Fresh Tarragon

If you still have zucchini from your garden or farmers market, try this delicious zucchini soup from Ellie Krieger. The creaminess is not from cream but from a secret ingredient, cannellini beans. The beans not only make this soup dairy-free, but they give it a boost of fiber and protein. I love the slight licorice flavor from the fresh tarragon and the brightness from the lemon.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

Servings: 6
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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped (about 1 ¼ cups)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 pounds (about 10 cups), zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
15-ounce can low-sodium cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low-heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring until just tender, about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and broth and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the beans, tarragon, lemon juice and zest.
Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then puree in a blender in 3 batches until smooth. The soup may be refrigerated or frozen at this stage.
Serve warm or chilled.

Nutrition Note: One serving (1 ½ cups) is 210 calories, 14 grams protein, 6 grams fat (mostly unsaturated), 7 grams fiber, 330 milligrams sodium. Excellent source of fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, protein, vitamin A, B6 and zinc

General Note: I reference Ellie Krieger quite frequently. She is a registered dietitian who has published many fabulous cookbooks featuring easy, delicious, healthier recipes. If you’re interested, she offers a series of cooking classes on the website Craftsy.

JudyMatusky.com

From You Have it Made: Delicious, Healthy Do-Ahead Meals by Ellie Krieger (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016)

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Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN