Zucchini, Yogurt, and Mint Soup (Zuppa Fredda di Zucchine e Menta)

Jul 7, 2010 by

Looking to make a yummy cold soup for dinner on a hot July night, I stumbled onto this zucchini, mint, and yogurt soup recipe. It was in a couple Italian food blogs, but Guido seemed a bit mystified that it was an Italian recipe. We discovered that it's considered a "modern Italian creation," as yogurt is not a very integral part of Italian cuisine. Regardless, it's creamy, delicate, and easy to make...and (supposedly) Italian. Prep time: This should take about 20 minutes, but let it chill in the fridge for a bit before serving. Serve with: We had this with sautéed chicken and a simple salad. Ingredients (for 2):
  • 2 Zucchini (keep the peels)
  • approx. 1 to 2 cups of yogurt (I recommend that you use one with a medium-thick consistency--I used half thin goat milk yogurt and half Fage's very thick "Total" Greek yogurt to get what I wanted. It's what we had in the fridge.)
  • About ten chopped mint leaves (more or less depending on how much you like mint)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • G-spot ingredient: High-quality olive oil to drizzle on top
Directions:
  • Carefully clean the zucchini, then cut into chunks or strips.
  • Boil or steam the zucchini until tender (easy to mash with a fork).
  • Tip: Add a teaspoon of salt to the water to tenderize and add a bit of flavor.
  • Drain the zucchini.
  • Tip: To make them cool faster and keep the color, cool them in an ice bath after draining (a small bowl with ice and water)
  • When totally drained, blend with a hand blender or food processor/blender in a soup bowl.
  • Add the yogurt and 8 mint leaves. Start with just one cup of yogurt, then add more to make it more soup-like, depending on the consistency.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Top with chopped mint (last two leaves) and a little olive oil.
Buon Appetito!
Boil the zucchini.
Blend the zucchini.
Variations: I peeled the zucchini the first time and for these pictures, but the next time I left the peels on and it was much better: more flavor and more color. I'd also experiment with a little garlic as well. Maybe half a clove chopped finely, added while blending everything together?
If you try this recipe or a variation, will you leave a comment and tell us what you did and how it turned out?

2 Comments

  1. Isabeau

    Tried this recipe, i love it! I added a clove of garlic, chopped finely, as you suggested. I also add some crispy bacon at the end, instead of olive oil. Gives it a nice twist!

  2. The Tasty Buzz

    Ooo…Isabeau that sounds delicious! I’ll have to add some bacon. Yum! Thanks for commenting!

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