Thick and creamy, yet dairy free and vegan. Zucchini and Sweet Potato Soup is a nutritious meal ready in 20 minutes that comes with an optional garnish. This might just be my favorite soup. In addition to being easy to make, the soup has great flavor and sweetness from the sweet potato.

A white bowl full of Zucchini and Sweet Potato Soup

Zucchini (or courgette) and sweet potato are a wonderful fall/winter combination that makes for a luscious, creamy soup but without any cream! Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or cannot tolerate dairy, this is the comforting soup you’ve been waiting for! 

Pouring soup into a bowl

Dairy-free way to thicken soup

I love using a sweet potato in my soups, instead of dairy, to add thickness. Plus, it adds a little natural sweetness, which is also a good thing. In addition, for added creaminess (just like my mushroom soup), blended raw cashews are my secret ingredients for a velvety finish. If you don’t want to use any nuts, you can leave them out.

Drizzling basil oil on top of the soup

Basil oil for garnish

Since there is basil in the soup, another ingredient that gives the soup an extra flavor boost is a drizzle of basil oil on top that’s a perfect finishing complement. The basil oil is also fantastic for salad dressings too. The recipe for this little concoction is below.

The vegetables

Zucchini (courgette if you’re in other parts of the world) is a pretty bland vegetable when used on its own. By adding the sweet potato this adds a lovely sweetness as well as acting as a thickener. I used mild shallots instead of onions to tone down the flavor, but still get a little onion flavor in there and, of course, garlic is a must.

More Vegan Soup Recipes:

Mushroom Soup

Cornbread, Sage and Onion Soup (tastes like cornbread stuffing/dressing, pictured below)

Creamy and smooth cornbread, sage and onion soup without any dairy
Yield: 4

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Soup

Drizzling basil oil on top of the soup

Fresh zucchini and sweet potato are cooked with shallot, garlic and basil, thickened with blended cashews

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (453 grams) zucchini cut into small chunks
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
  • 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2/3 cup (45 grams) raw cashew nuts
  • 4 cups (946 ml) vegetable stock, plus more if need to thin the soup
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • For the basil oil (optional)
  • 4 oz fresh basil leaves (about 20 large leaves)
  • 1 3/4 cup (414 ml) grapeseed or flavorless oil
  • Small pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. To a large saucepan, add the olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the zucchini and a pinch of salt and pepper, sauté for about 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the shallot and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the potato, bay leaf, cashews, stock, basil and another pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the zucchini is softened. Remove the bay leaf. If you have an immersion blender, blend the soup in the pan. If not transfer in batches to a blender. Add more stock if the soup is too thick. Taste for seasoning.
  3. To make the basil oil:
    Fill a large bowl with water and ice (this is to cool the basil quickly after blanching (boiling). Lay paper towels on a large plate or baking sheet (to drain the basil). Heat a deep sided skillet or large saucepan of water over high heat to boil and reduce to a low simmer. Add the basil leaves and blanch for 2 minutes, transfer to the iced water and leave for 1 minute. Take the basil out of the ice water and drain on the paper towels. Add the basil and oil to a food processor or blender. Blend until the mixture is fully pureed. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a jug.
    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1 cup

Amount Per Serving Calories 162Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 2mgSodium 487mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 2gSugar 4gProtein 4g