Spiced zucchini soup Alison Roman

4 steps

Updated at: Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:30:59 GMT

Nutrition balance score

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 tablespoonscoconut oil

or olive oil

1yellow onion

small, or red, finely chopped

kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1 teaspooncumin seed

or fennel seed, or half and half

¼ teaspoonground turmeric

crushed red pepper flakes

optional

2 poundszucchini

or yellow summer squash, grated on a box grater

¾ cupyellow lentils

or red, or jasmine or basmati rice

6 cupsvegetable broth

or chicken, or water plus better than bouillon

1lemon

halved for squeezing over

Yogurt

herbs

prune puree

you’re feeding a baby, optional

Instructions

Step 1

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until totally softened and starting to fry lightly at the edges, 10–12 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Cook a minute or two to toast and bloom the spices in the fat.

Step 2

2. Add zucchini and season again with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini has softened completely and shrunk by nearly half (this is the liquid evaporating and the flavors concentrating). Add the lentils or rice and 6 cups of broth (start there, you can always add more). Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium low.

Step 3

3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils (or rice) are fully cooked, perhaps overcooked (a good thing here) and soup is nicely thickened to your liking. Perhaps that's brothier, or more puree-like– either which way, you can always simmer longer or add more broth to suit your needs.

Step 4

4. To serve, season again with salt and pepper, swirl in some yogurt if you want, top with herbs if you have, and a squeeze of lemon (a must).