Curried Apple Zucchini Soup: Healthy & Delicious

Healthy, low fat and delicious, this recipe for Curried Apple Zucchini Soup is an absolute winner. The fragrant combination of sautéed onions, apples and zucchini with a bright aromatic backdrop of curry, makes this soup so rich, colourful and enticing, it's hard to believe it's good for you too! No cream is used, just a little milk, and very cleverly rice is used to thicken the soup so that once puréed, it becomes lusciously silky and smooth. The soup also freezes beautifully, so I often double or triple the recipe to have it on hand when I need a light and delicious starter, or soul satisfying respite from the chilly autumn and winter months. 

Curried Apple Zucchini Soup

Serves 24

8 tbsp butter

4 large onion, peeled and chopped

5 red apple, peeled, cored and chopped

8 tsp curry powder

16 cups chicken stock

1 cup Basmati rice, uncooked

8 cups zucchini, unpeeled and diced

2 tsp salt

4 cup milk

In a saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the onion and apple until soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with curry powder and cook, stirring for a few seconds to meld the flavours. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then add the rice, chopped zucchini and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low then cover and cook until rice and zucchini are tender, about 30 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly, then using a hand blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and add milk. Heat through again and serve hot. Garnish with a swirl of cream for an extra flourish.