All this glorious rain and chili December weather has me craving soup. Warm, delicious soup. This Cream of Kale Zucchini soup is one of my favorites – packed with loads of nutrients and a surprisingly rich, bright flavor, it is an all-around perfect soup to cozy up to on a rainy day.
CREAM OF KALE ZUCCHINI SOUP
Vegan, dairy free, gluten free, refined oil free
Recipe by Jentry Lee Hull adapted from Avocado Pesto
Yields 6-8 servings
SOUP INGREDIENTS
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3-4 small zucchini squash (or summer squash), cut into chunks (leave skin on)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth + more, to sauté, if needed
- 1 (15 oz. can) light coconut milk*
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 3 handfuls curly kale, leaves removed from stems and torn into pieces
- 3-4 Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked and diced*
- ½ cup cooked chickpeas
- pinch of salt
- pinch of cayenne
SOUP METHOD
- In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onion (with water or broth) for about 3-5 minutes, or until caramelized.
- Incorporate zucchini chunks and cook another 5 minutes, or until zucchini is golden brown and tender.
- Add minced garlic, stir and cook for another minute.
- Stir in veggie broth, coconut milk and cashews. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat, partially cover and let simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Keep mixture on low heat and fold in kale leaves. Cook for 1 minute or until kale is bright green and tender.
- Remove from heat, let cool for 20 minutes. Transfer, in batches, to high-powered blender. Blend until creamy and smooth.
- Transfer creamy soup back to large pot, on low-medium heat, and add cooked potatoes and chickpeas.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to serving bowls, garnish and enjoy
- Topping ideas:
- Coconut Bacon
- Cashew Cilantro Sour Cream (recipe below)
- Scallions
CASHEW CILANTRO SOUR CREAM INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup plant milk
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 1 hr. and drained)
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
- pinch of pink salt
- pinch of cayenne
CASHEW CILANTRO SOUR CREAM METHOD
- In a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients and blend for 1-2 minutes, or until creamy and smooth.
NOTES
- I recommend steaming the potatoes beforehand. If you’re short on time, leave the potatoes out and add more chickpeas.
- If you’re looking for a creamier soup, try adding cooked potatoes before blending.
- If you’re allergic to coconut milk or don’t like the flavor, try another plant milk (i.e. cashew milk, soy milk, almond milk).
Thrive on,
Coach Jentry