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5 from 1 vote

Cream of Zucchini Soup with Cherry Tomato Salsa and Grilled Shrimp

This fast and delicious soup is equally delicious served hot or cold. Adapted from a recipe by J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats. I like to serve it with a salsa for both flavor and textural contrast as well as some quickly cooked shrimp. Grilling them adds a delicious smokiness but pan-searing them is delicious as well.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Latin American
Keyword american, dairy-free, egg-free, Latin American, main, nut-free, salsa, seafood, shrimp, soup, zucchini
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 302kcal
Author Jenny Ross

Ingredients

Shrimp

  • 2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Soup

  • 1 tablespoons butter or avocado oil for dairy-free
  • 1 yellow onion sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds zucchini 4-5 medium squash, sliced
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1/4 cup parsley or cilantro, or both (you can also add a pinch of cumin and coriander here, if you like)
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 lemon

Salsa

  • 16 cherry tomatoes diced
  • 1 jalapeño membrane and seeds removed, minced
  • 1/4 red onion diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro minced
  • 1/4 cup parsley minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the shrimp with the baking soda and set aside while you prepare the soup and salsa (the baking soda helps them retain moisture and texture while also seasoning them and helping them brown better).
  • Heat the butter in a large pot over medium high heat then add onion with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium high heat, stirring often until the onions are soft and translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Add zucchini and stir to mix. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.
  • Cook at a simmer for 10 minutes, until the zucchini is just soft but still bright green. Turn off the heat and remove pot from the burner. Add the spinach and parsley and purée the soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
  • While the soup is cooking, combine all salsa ingredients and set aside.
  • Just before serving, cook the shrimp, either on a grill one high heat or in a nonstick pan over high heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until just opaque before turning. Serve immediately with salsa over the soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 365mg | Sodium: 1486mg | Potassium: 1640mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2949IU | Vitamin C: 93mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 4mg