Tuscan Zucchini and Chickpea Soup Recipe

Italian Zucchini Soup is a versatile, year-round recipe, but it shines in summer when zucchini are abundant. Bright basil, ripe tomatoes, garlic and onions mingle with a pecorino cheese rind, chickpeas and delicate broken capellini to create a light yet satisfying soup that tastes unmistakably Italian.

This soup was a summer staple in my family when I grew up in humid New Jersey. Like many home cooks, we made the most of the zucchini glut by turning the squash into soups, fritters and many other simple dishes. The combination of zucchini, tomatoes and basil is aromatic and comforting—truly a seasonal favorite.

More Italian Soups

If you enjoy this zucchini soup, other comforting Italian soups to try include potato and sausage soups, pasta e piselli, split pea with ham and potatoes, Italian wedding soup, pasta e patate and ribollita-style vegetable soups.

How to Make Italian Zucchini Soup

This recipe is quick—about 30 minutes total—and straightforward to prepare. The following steps give a clear, practical method for making a large pot of flavorful soup.

• Prep and gather ingredients. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart (or larger) pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions, half the chopped basil, sliced or chopped garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Covering the pot will speed this step.)
• Add 2 cups of the broth and use it to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Increase the heat to medium and add the rest of the broth along with the zucchini, canned tomatoes (crushed by hand), the pecorino or parmesan rind, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover after the liquid is simmering and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is almost tender.
• Stir in the rinsed, drained chickpeas and the broken angel hair pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring regularly to prevent clumping. Add more broth or water if the soup becomes too thick.
• Turn off the heat, remove any remaining cheese rind, stir in the remaining chopped basil, and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve piping hot with grated pecorino, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and—if you like—a small dollop of basil pesto.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Different beans: Swap chickpeas for borlotti, cannellini, navy beans or lentils.
• Add greens: Stir in baby spinach at the end, or add chopped swiss chard, kale, broccoli rabe or curly endive with the zucchini for more vegetable variety.
• Make it heartier: Brown 1 pound of Italian sausage (removed from casings) at the start, or add shredded roasted chicken or turkey a few minutes after the pasta goes in.
• Keep it light: Omit chickpeas and pasta for a simple brothy vegetable soup—reduce the broth slightly if you omit the pasta.
• Vegan option: Use vegetable broth and leave out the cheese rind.

For a variation made with a different summer squash, try the soup with yellow crookneck or Sicilian cucuzza (peeled and seeded), though tougher squash may need longer to become tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Top Tips for Italian Zucchini Soup

• Zucchini and squash: Small to medium zucchini have the best flavor. If using large Sicilian cucuzza squash, peel and seed it and simmer longer until tender.
• Pasta: Use a very thin pasta like capellini broken into short pieces or a small pastina. Stir frequently once the pasta is added to prevent sticking.
• Serving: Serve this soup as a light lunch with a green salad and crusty bread, or as a first course before a main dish.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Reheat slowly over medium-low heat, adding broth or water if needed.

Recipe Details

Italian Zucchini Soup with Chickpeas
Prep: 10 mins · Cook: 20 mins · Total: 30 mins · Serves: 8

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 cups diced yellow onions
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil, divided
• ¼ cup chopped or thinly sliced garlic
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• 8 cups low- or no-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 pounds zucchini, ends removed, cut into thin ½ or ¼ moons
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 pecorino or parmesan rind
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (optional)
• 4 ounces angel hair or other thin pasta, broken into bite-sized pieces (¼ lb)
• Grated pecorino cheese, for serving (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil, for serving (optional)
• Basil pesto, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, half the basil, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften (about 5 minutes). Cover to speed cooking if desired.
2. Add 2 cups of broth and scrape up any fond to deglaze the pot. Increase the heat to medium and add the remaining broth, zucchini, tomatoes, cheese rind, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and simmer about 10 minutes, until the zucchini is nearly tender.
4. Stir in the chickpeas and broken pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring frequently to prevent clumping. Add additional broth or water if the soup thickens too much.
5. Turn off the heat. Remove the cheese rind, stir in the remaining basil and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with grated pecorino, a drizzle of olive oil and a spoonful of pesto if desired.

Notes

• This recipe yields about 16 cups; it can be halved for a smaller batch. Leftovers freeze well.
• There is no need to peel zucchini; the skin is thin and mild.
• If you omit pasta, reduce the broth by roughly 20% for a less watery final soup.
• To make vegan, use vegetable broth and omit the cheese rind.