squash blossom by Ozarkhomesteader
Tonight I wanted something light to go with open-faced chicken salad sandwiches. I had beautiful fresh zucchini from the garden, babied through our first frost with a blanket. I had cherry tomatoes but opted not to use them; instead I opened a can of organic diced tomatoes. This soup is so simple but so good. Add eggplant and you’d have ratatouille, but why not keep it simple for once?
Tomato-Zucchini Soup with fresh basil
serves 2-3
- olive oil
- about 1/3 sweet onion, sliced with the slices cut into strips about a half inch to inch long
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- two medium-sized zucchinis, cut into slices (or quartered lengthwise and then sliced if the zucchini is a bit bigger)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes, scant two cups
- optional: parmesan rind
- splash of cream
- finely shredded fresh basil, about 5-6 medium-sized leaves (okay to use dried, but it will change the flavor, and you’ll need to add it with the tomatoes)
- salt to taste
Sauté the onions in a bit of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot, like a small Dutch oven. After the onion starts to soften and color, add the garlic and zucchini. Sauté until you get a little color on the zucchini. Add the diced tomatoes and about 3/4 cup water and simmer for about 20 minutes, letting the zucchinis soften a little. If you have a parmesan rind, feel free to toss it in during the simmering. Now add the splash of cream and the finely shredded basil. Add salt to taste. Serve hot.
Do you have a favorite simple soup, either for the remains of Indian summer or for winter warmth?
Copyright 2010 Ozarkhomesteader, including photograph.
You’re right: simple is just right sometimes. What a lovely, easy recipe. This year’s zucchini crop is long gone, so I’ll save it for next summer!
I was afraid that my seasonality in Arkansas might not be matching seasonality up north. I may be joining you with zero squash in a few days; my tender annuals weathered the first frost here three weeks ago but may not make it through this weekend.
Oh that looks good!
I am so tired, we FINALLY closed on our house.. YAY!
Great news about your house! Having been through that this summer–thank goodness on the place where we were already living–the road to home seemed to be full of obstacles that we hadn’t anticipated.
I love soup of almost any kind. Yours sounds great but our zucchini are also long gone. I make soup every single week. Monday is soup night in our house. This week it’s likely pinto beans and arugula seasoned with garlic and cumin.
I think we may be having bean soup tomorrow night too.
I’ve been trying to stop time again in the garden by tucking it in each night with blankies (mostly plastic) and having succeeded with a big chunk of it thus far, despite temperatures in the 20s. I just picked another big zucchini today that will become a frittata tonight.
I feel genuinely blessed that I can keep my “summer” plants going so long.