A frugal Courgette Soup flavoured with garlic, basil and Parmesan cheese – perfect as a starter or light lunch.

I was recently asked if I had a Courgette Soup (aka zucchini) recipe on Twitter so after flicking through some old recipes of my mother’s I came up with this recipe.
Back in the 70’s my mother went to cookery evening classes as she was a very keen cook and always wanted to learn more.
The recipe I found was very basic from one of these classes, so I decided to add garlic, basil and Parmesan to it.
I have a feeling that courgettes were more of a delicacy back in the 70’s and hence this soup is more broth-like in consistency and a few ingredients go a very long way.
I used 3 very large courgettes and 2 large onions and this provided soup for myself and my husband for 5 lunches.
The soup improved with age as the flavours matured so if you can make it a day in advance all the better.
This soup would make a great starter as it’s not going to fill you up or have it with a sandwich at lunchtime to warm you up on a cold day (which is what we did). If you have one of those thermal mugs it would be great to take to work as you could easily sip it at your desk.

This Courgette Soup is not only economical but it’s so quick and easy to make. I will make it again soon as hubby and I enjoyed it immensely.
More Courgette Recipes
For more courgette-inspired dishes you might like to check out:
- Caramelised Courgette Soup – Fab Food 4 All
- Leek & Courgette Soup – Fab Food 4 All
- Kousa Mahshi (Lebanese Stuffed Courgettes) – Cook Sister
- Courgette, Goat’s Cheese and Mint Fritatta – Kavey Eats
- Courgette Spaghetti Alredo – Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
- Turkish Zucchini Fritters – Tinned Tomatoes
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Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Courgette Soup
Ingredients
- 25 g Unsalted butter
- 2 tblsp Olive oil
- 2 Large Onions finely diced
- 3 Large garlic cloves
- 900 g Courgettes slices
- 1 ½ tsp Dried basil
- 1.7 Litres Vegetable stock
- Freshly ground salt & pepper
- 60 g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese grated
- Garnish optional
Garnish
- Parmesan shavings or vegetarian hard cheese
- 1 pinch dried basil
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil in a large pan and gently sweat the onions and garlic under a lid, stirring occasionally until softened but not coloured (about 10 minutes).
- Add the courgettes, basil, seasoning and stock.
- Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until courgettes are softened.
- Blend soup (I use a stick blender) then add grated parmesan.
- Check seasoning and serve garnished with parmesan slithers, dried basil and drizzle of olive oil.
Ann
Use empty 2 ltr milk cartons as a mini green house/slug deterant. Cut of bottom and remove lid. Make a mini trench round base place over courgette plant and fill in trench.
Broken egg shells inside are a further deterant. Water through lid until plant is big. Ann
Tina Freer Kidd
Can’t stop making this, it’s so delicious. I sometimes find courgettes quite boring…..not here, though, they make a really interesting and tasty soup and this recipe is so simple. And do try growing them, they’re easy. You just need to keep a regular eye on them because they have a habit of turning into marrows if you look away (or go away!) I collect soup recipes and I’ll give this one 6*stars !!
Camilla
Thank you so much! I may well have a go a growing courgettes, I have a multipack of seeds which I think includes them! Just need to find some space to grow them in or maybe get a grow bag. I do have rhubarb which is a start:-)
Lynn Poole
Slither ?
Camilla
Have I said that instead of sliver?
Heather
XOXO shared on FB. Looks YUM. You had me at the parmesan. I would use chicken broth, though… home made. Mmmmmm.
Camilla
Thank you Heather, very kind:-)
Martina Evans
What a delicious soup! I too like courgettes so this is just fab, can’t wait to try it!
Paul Wilson
My courgettes are already planted for this year.
Camilla
Oh I wish I had green fingers, but whenever I’ve tried growing veg the pests get their wicked way before any harvesting ever happens! Never attempted courgettes though!
Paul Wilson
Always need more uses for courgette come the summer.
Fuss Free Helen
Just catching up – lovely frugal recipe as always Camilla.
Camilla
Thanks Helen:-)
Kaci Soderstrom
Never thought about making soup with courgette. Great idea.
Tina L-D
great recipe, love courgettes and love soup, especially when the weather is like it is at the moment
Ursula Hunt
Snowing in Yorkshire, definately time for home made soups
Camilla
Well that’s just not fair! Not a flake here in Surrey!
Maya Russell
Have to use this when we get loads of courgettes this summer.
Maddy
OOH, good timing!
Bought 4 courgettes for 10p yellow label at Mr T’s the other day. Was going to make some ratatouille for the freezer, but this looks far more interesting!
Camilla
Fab, if you prefer a thicker soup just use less stock but we enjoyed this thin broth for a change along with our lunch time sandwiches:-)
Jacqueline Meldrum
Nice recipe Camilla.
Camilla
Thanks Jacqueline:-)
Sadhna Grover
I love courgette. I would love to try this soup. I was using this veg in making a side dish with potatoes or lentils.
Thanks for sharing.
Camilla
Thanks:-)
Maddy
Going to have to remember this one for when we get another glut!
Camilla
Great:-)
Paul Wilson
I bet it’s great with some nice, fresh, crusty bread.
Urvashi
I love courgettes. We grew yellow ones this year and last and I did a soup with some feta gremolata on top. It’s just one of those that I think would also work cold in summer
Camilla
Yes I think it would be great chilled too:-) Lucky you having green fingers!
Ursula Hunt
Great recipe for the summer as we get loads of courgettes on the allotment
Camilla
Thanks Ursula:-)
Paul Wilson
Nice one, I’ll make a note for when there are more courgettes than you can shake a stick at next year.
Camilla
Thanks Paul:-)
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet
I’m partial to thicker soups, so whenever a recipe sounds like it has too much liquid in it, I reduce the amount. More water can always be added at a later stage. You should try adding avocado before blending!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
I absolutely love courgettes, strangely I don’t think I’ve ever had courgette soup!! This one looks wonderful though ๐
Camilla
Thanks Becca, I hadn’t either so once I was asked the seed was sown:-)
Harriet
Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try it
Camilla
Thanks Harriet:-)
Michelle Utterlyscrummy
What a delicious soup! ๐ We’ve been eating more soup lately as it is a great filler before dinner and also fab for getting extra vitamins into us during the cold weather.
Camilla
Thanks Michelle – it really helped heat us up as it’s got so cold lately:-)
Elizabeth
What a lovely starter this would be – beautiful colour too! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge ๐
Camilla
Thank you Elizabeth:-)
Kavey
I love courgettes, we did a lovely courgette and blue cheese soup this year, which was good. I think my favourite recipe using our glut this year was the sausage-ragu stuffed courgettes. Thank you so much for sharing my frittata. X
Camilla
A pleasure Kavey:-)