Creamy Zucchini Soup

I promised to post this simple, delicious recipe my mother-in-law recently created.  It's one of the best uses of zucchini (one of the most delicious, too!).  The recipe makes a huge batch - feel free to cut it in half, or make it all.... it freezes beautifully.  Enjoy!

Creamy Zucchini Soup
12 cups chicken stock
15 cups fresh or frozen chopped zucchini (all ok: summer squash, patty pans, etc.)
1 large onion
1 package Neufechtel or cream cheese
salt or pepper to taste (optional)


First, assemble your ingredients.  The exact amounts of this recipe can be varied. If you have more zucchini on hand, use it. It won't ruin the recipe.

Wash & chop your onion and squash.

If you want to get rid of one of a "giant" zucchini, you can use it in this recipe.  Just make sure to scoop out all the seeds first.

If you're making this in the winter and using the frozen zucchini you put up from your garden, all of this isn't even necessary!  Now aren't you glad you went to all that trouble last summer?!?

Next, saute the onion in a bit of oil over medium/low heat until soft.

After the onion is soft, add your chicken stock.  If you have homemade, great.  If not, we all need a shortcut now and then.  You can use the boxed chicken stock or something like I used:  an old-fashioned chicken base.

 

After adding the chicken stock, toss in all of your chopped zucchini.  There will be more zucchini than stock, so the zucchini will fill the pot higher than your stock.  That's fine.

Now, bring up to a boil.  Then turn the heat to low, put on a lid, and let it simmer until the zucchini is soft.  This will take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.

After the zucchini is soft, toss in your package of cream cheese. 

Then puree the whole thing.  The easiest way is with a handy-dandy immersion blender (aka stick blender), but you can always transfer it to a regular blender if you don't have a stick blender. (Note: an immersion blender can be bought for around $20 and is worth the money. It comes in very handy during canning season as well.)

Next, salt & pepper if necessary.  Serve and enjoy!