Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 45 g unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g all-purpose flour
Vegetables and Liquids
- 800 g zucchini, chopped into 2cm pieces
- 700 ml vegetable broth, warm
Dairy and Seasonings
- 200 g sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- ½ g ground nutmeg
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 1359 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 23 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 58 mg
- Potassium
- 717 mg
- Calcium
- 437 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 370 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 377 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 41 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 59 mcg
- Water
- 417 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Melt the unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until translucent and fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the mixture and stir continuously to form a roux, cooking off the raw flour taste.
Gradually whisk in the warm vegetable broth, ensuring no flour lumps remain. Add the chopped zucchini, salt, and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer.
Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and velvety. If using a standard blender, work in batches and return the smooth soup to the pot.
Keep the pot off the heat. The temperature should drop below 82 degrees Celsius or 180 degrees Fahrenheit before proceeding. Stir in the heavy cream and ground nutmeg. Gradually add the grated sharp cheddar cheese one handful at a time, stirring gently until completely melted.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Ladle the warm soup into bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always grate your cheddar from a solid block. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated with cellulose and starches that prevent clumping in the bag but cause a gritty texture when melted into soups.
- For a deeper, more robust flavor profile, consider using half sharp cheddar and half Gruyere or smoked Gouda.
- Zucchini consists largely of water. Chopping the zucchini uniformly ensures it cooks evenly, allowing you to blend it at the exact moment it becomes tender, avoiding a muddy overcooked flavor.
- Do not skip the nutmeg. A tiny pinch of nutmeg is a classic culinary technique for enhancing the savory, nutty notes of dairy and cheese without making the dish taste like a dessert.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen after a day.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing may cause slight separation in the dairy. Re-blend after thawing to restore texture.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently. Do not let it boil, or the cheese may separate.
Troubleshooting
The soup has a grainy texture or the fat has pooled on top
Cause: The cheese was added while the soup was boiling, or pre-shredded cheese containing anti-caking agents was used
Fix: Remove from heat immediately, add a splash of cold heavy cream, and use an immersion blender to try and re-emulsify the mixture
Prevention: Always remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool slightly before stirring in cheese grated from a block
The soup is too thin and watery
Cause: The zucchini released more water than expected or the roux was insufficient
Fix: Return to a low simmer before adding cheese, or mash equal parts softened butter and flour to make a beurre manie and whisk it into the hot liquid
Prevention: Ensure accurate measurement of flour and allow the soup to reduce slightly before blending if the zucchini looks overly watery
Cultural Context
Zucchini is a prolific summer squash originally cultivated in Milan, Italy, while sharp cheddar traces its roots to the English village of Cheddar in Somerset. This soup represents a classic American culinary approach of marrying abundant, mild seasonal garden produce with rich, comforting dairy to create a hearty, year-round staple.
