Lighten Up Your Post-Holiday Menu With Zucchini Soup

A vegetable soup usually seems to right all my “wrong” choices during the holiday season. Dreamstime/TNS

Now that all the crazy holiday eating, drinking, and partying are behind us, if you’re afraid to get on the scale, you’re not alone. What’s the answer to correct your holiday fun? For me, it’s always a few days of eating soup, particularly vegetable soup. It usually seems to right all my “wrong” choices.

This year, I am going Seriously Simple with this satisfying, herbaceous zucchini soup. Fresh oregano accentuates the flavor of the zucchini and is essential here. Feel free to double this recipe so that you will have it at the ready when you get hungry.

This aromatic soup is equally good hot or cold. Served steaming hot with half and half or milk, it is a wonderful opener for roasted vegetables with couscous for a vegetarian menu. You can omit all the dairy, add 1/2 cup more stock, and serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream.

Zucchini and Fresh Oregano Soup

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 3/4 pounds zucchini, sliced
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground pepper
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
• Zest of lemon
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream, for serving

Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté over low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add zucchini and continue sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly softened.

Add stock and 2 tablespoons of oregano and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender.

Puree soup in a food processor or with an immersion blender right in the saucepan. You can make it as coarse or fine as you prefer, depending on how long you process the soup.

If using a food processor, return the soup to the saucepan. Add salt and pepper. Add half-and-half or milk and whisk to combine if serving hot. Add lemon zest and taste for seasoning. Serve topped with sour cream and garnish with remaining oregano, if desired.

Advance Preparation: The soup may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but the oregano flavor will diminish. Add additional fresh oregano. Gently reheat soup, taste for seasoning, and serve.

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