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Lemony Zucchini Chowder

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  • 4-8 slices bacon (about 5-8 oz), chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (or use 1 tbsp of the bacon grease)
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 zucchini (about 1 lb), chopped into small pieces (3 cups)
  • 3 potatoes (about 1 lb), chopped into small pieces (3 heaping cups)
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 4 eggs (2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

Toppings:

  • Whole milk plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Reserved bacon
  • Fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or scallions)

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Chop 4-6 slices bacon
  • Chop 1 yellow onion
  • Peel and chop 2 carrots
  • Chop 2 zucchini (about 1 lb) into small pieces
  • Chop 2-3 potatoes (about 1 lb) into small pieces
  • Remove the seeds and chop 1 jalapeno
  • Chop 2-3 cloves garlic
  • Make the soup

Instructions

  • In a large pot over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Discard the bacon grease.
  • In the same pot over medium heat, add the olive oil (or use bacon grease), onion, carrot, zucchini, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
  • Add the jalapeno and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
  • Add water, soy sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer rapidly for 10 minutes (uncovered), stirring occasionally. You’re just looking for the soup to reduce a bit and the potatoes to cook through. Turn off the heat, remove about 1.5-2 cups of the hot broth, and set aside
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks, and lemon juice until smooth. Very slowly pour in the reserved broth while whisking constantly.
  • Stir the lemony egg liquid back into the soup. It will become creamy — MAGIC! To thicken it up a bit more, you can transfer about 1-2 cups of the soup to a blender (try to get mostly potatoes and broth in there) and blend until thickened. Stir back into the soup. This is an optional extra step if you want a thicker soup.
  • Serve it up topped with yogurt or sour cream, bacon, herbs, and black pepper.

Notes

Substitutions:

  • To make vegetarian, skip the bacon all together.
  • To make vegan, you can leave out the eggs and be sure to blend up some of the soup to thicken it at the end. If you’d like, you could also add a can of coconut milk and reduce the water to 5 cups. Skip the bacon and top with a vegan yogurt or sour cream alternative or just leave it out. To bump the protein, add a can of beans or even tofu.

Storage:

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
  • Store leftover bacon separately in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • Warm up leftover soup in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through. Top with all the toppings.