Zucchini Cheddar Soup
on Jun 26, 2025
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Creamy and cheesy, this is the perfect soup for the tail end of the summer when zucchini is in season and needs to be put to use!
When you have a lot of zucchini on your hands, this is the soup recipe to reach for. The ingredients are so simple: zucchini, onions, broth, white wine, and some fresh herbs, made creamy with the addition of cheddar cheese and a little bit of cream. Once pureed, it’s smooth and silky and delicious.
Use sharp cheddar cheese for the best flavor. The color of the cheddar cheese will affect the color of the soup. Orange cheddar will give the soup an orangey hue, while white cheddar will result in a muted green color.
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What's In This Post?
Blending Creamy Zucchini Soup
You have three options for blending a pureed vegetable soup.
- If you use a food processor or a blender, you may want to blend the soup in batches, as the hot soup can splash out of the appliance if filled too high. A food processor has a vent in the top, which allows the steam to escape.
- But if you are using a blender, you’ll want to remove the little plastic insert in the top. Hold a dishtowel in your hand and place it over the hole while you blend — this allows the steam to vent, without the soup or steam causing the top to pop off and possibly cause a burn.
- My favorite appliance for blending soups and sauces is an immersion blender. This allows you to puree the soup right in the pan, without transferring it out. Less mess, less chance of burning yourself.
Kitchen Smarts
There is no need to peel the zucchini unless it’s very mature and the skin is thick. If your zucchini is large and has lots of seeds, then you will also want to slice it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon. Young zucchini does not need to be seeded. You will want to weigh your zucchini after seeding it, to make sure it’s 3 pounds.
How to Make Zucchini Cheddar Cheese Soup
- Cook the veggies: Sauté the onions and zucchini, stirring frequently until the zucchini is quite soft.
- Make the soup: Add the white wine and broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Cool, add the herbs and hot sauce (if using), then puree.
- Finish: Return the soup to the heat and add the cheese until the cheese is all melted and incorporated. Stir in the cream. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Variations
- A little hot sauce adds interest, but it’s not necessary if you want a very soft-tasting, soothing soup.
- Use summer squash instead of zucchini.
- Use trimmed baby pattypan squashes instead of zucchini.
- Serve with Parmesan Croutons or Torn Croutons.
- Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian soup.
What to Serve With Zucchini Cheddar Soup
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Zucchini Cheddar Soup
Equipment
- Blender (optional)
- Food Processor (optional)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 onions (chopped)
- 3 ½ pounds diced zucchini (see Note)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup white wine
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth (preferably low-sodium broth)
- Squirt or two hot sauce (or a couple of dashes of cayenne pepper)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ½ pound (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar
- ½ cup cream
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, zucchini, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is quite soft. It won’t brown much because the zucchini has a lot of water in it.
- Add the white wine, and bring to a simmer. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Partially cover the pot with the lid, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. The zucchini and onions should be very tender, with the squash pretty much turning to mush. Let the soup cool for about 20 minutes, then add the basil, parsley, and hot sauce (if using)
- Puree it in batches in a blender or food processor, or use a stick immersion blender and blend until smooth right in the pot.
- Return the soup to medium heat, and when it begins to bubble around the edges, add the cheese by handfuls, stirring after each addition until the cheese is all melted and incorporated. Stir in the cream and heat just until bubbles form again around the edges of the pot.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, then serve.
While I wait for the garden’s zucchini, I (accidentally) bought too much at the store. This soup was delicious and used it up. Saving the recipe for later in summer.