By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: July 01, 2019
Zucchini cilantro soup comes from Latin culture. It goes very well with garnishes of crisp tortilla strips, avocado cubes, and a sprinkle of refreshing juice from fresh lime wedges.
You may have tasted this at the Art of Living Retreat Center where we serve it frequently for lunch on Saturdays, with corn on the cob, rice with vegan chicken (or vegan chicken fajitas), kichadi, ghee, salad, chips and salsa. This recipe serves 6 people, but you can multiply it or divide it for a bigger or smaller group.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. butter or ghee
- 1 tbsp. sunflower oil
- 3 diced zucchini (about 1 lb.)
- 1 tbsp. flour (whole wheat or gluten free flour)
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems, chopped
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- Salt, ancho chili powder, wildflower honey, madras curry powder, lime juice, and white pepper to taste
- 4 corn tortillas, 1-day old, cut in strips
- Sunflower oil for frying tortilla strips
- 1 avocado, peeled and cubed
- Lime wedges, for garnishing
Directions
Heat the butter (or ghee) and oil in a large pan.
Add diced zucchini and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring.
Stir in whole grain flour (can be gluten free) and cook a few minutes more.
Add vegetable stock and seasonings to taste, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Stir in cilantro, reduce heat and simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
Blend the soup until it has a smooth texture (a hand blender works well) and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Add crème fraîche or sour cream and blend again till smooth.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan, fry the tortilla strips till crispy and golden and drain them on paper towels.
Allow soup to cool and refrigerate until serving time.
Reheat soup until it almost boils, garnish with tortilla strips and avocado cubes and serve lime wedges on the side.
The crispy tortilla strips help to balance the soft texture, and the avocado adds richness. Lime wedges brighten it up, especially when the weather is hot and humid.
I hope you enjoy this creamy, smooth, flavorful soup in good health!
By Elizabeth Herman - PhD in English, with concentrations in Rhetoric and Composition, and Literature, she offers writing support to clients, teaches locally, lives in Boone, NC, and volunteers for a better world.
