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This zucchini potato soup with bacon and corn is a great mixture of creamy and chunky with lots of flavor. Plus, you can make it as chunky or as smooth as you like.
Adding the dill and bacon bits takes the flavor over the top. A hearty, nourishing soup for those chilly days or when you just want something filling, wholesome, and delicious.
Easy to get lots of vegetables in this savory zucchini and potato soup, and I believe even your kids will love it!
As for me and my family, we love a great potato soup! So inexpensive, filling, and versatile! And adding zucchini is a great way to use up your garden surplus along with giving picky eaters some extra nutrition!
What You'll Need
4 slices of bacon, fairly lean, cooked
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 quart of chicken broth or stock
4 cups potatoes, about 6 medium, peeled and heaping in the measuring cup
3 cups zucchini, about 2 large, shredded
2 teaspoons dry dill (or 2 Tablespoons fresh, chopped)
1 medium sized carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup cream
parmesan to top
How to Make Zucchini Bacon Soup
First, you will cook your bacon in a large cast iron Dutch oven on the stove top.
Meanwhile, peel your potatoes and chop them in bite-sized pieces. Shred your zucchini and carrot.
Remove bacon from the pan to drain. Remove all but 2 Tablespoons of the bacon fat.
Add garlic to the bacon fat remaining in the pan and cook 1 minute on low to medium heat.
To the pot, add chicken broth, potatoes, zucchini, dill, carrot, salt, black pepper, and corn and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium, cover, and cook 15 minutes.
Uncover and cook on medium for 20 minutes, stirring often and breaking up potatoes a bit.
Once the potatoes are done, turn heat off and add cream. Serve hot topped with parmesan cheese if desired.
Tips For a Great Potato Soup
This zucchini potato soup recipe is very adaptable to how creamy or chunky you would like it to be. You can even blend it up if you want it completely smooth.
You can also leave the potatoes completely chunky, but I recommend mashing them just a bit. This helps the soup thicken a bit.
When chopping your potatoes, make sure they're not too big, as this will make them take longer to cook.
You also want the potatoes cut smaller so the flavors of your soup blend well together in each bite. Smaller pieces equal more flavor per bite. I cut mine in about ¼-inch cubes.
Frozen or Fresh Corn?
For the corn, you can also use fresh or canned for this recipe. If using canned, make sure to drain well before adding.
Also, keep in mind that frozen corn does not need to be thawed.
Zucchini - Chopped or Shredded?
As for the zucchini, feel free to chop it up in small pieces instead of shredding.
It would surely be just as delicious, as the zucchini will break down nicely while cooking (and almost fool the picky eaters that they are potatoes!).
What Cheese to Use
The cheese cheese topping is optional, but I highly recommend it. Feel free to use any cheese you have on hand or love.
Pepper Jack would be fabulous as well as mozzarella or cheddar. Use as much as you like. We love cheese in my house, so we typically load up!
Substitutes for Dill
What about the dill? If your family doesn't love dill like we do, you could certainly substitute another herb such as oregano or marjoram. I love how well the dill goes with potato soups and chowders.
If you've never tried dill as a seasoning in potato soup and think it will taste like a pickle, you're in for a surprise. Tastes nothing like a pickle! But feel free to substitute if desired.
Try It! You'll Love It!
I hope you and your family LOVE this hearty zucchini and bacon soup with potatoes, corn, and dill! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
And don't forget to pin it and/or print it for later if you won't be cooking it tonight! Make sure to let me know how yours turns out.
Great served with my garlicky Cheese Toast! Or also fabulous with my Southern Cornbread!
Zucchini Potato Soup with Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon fairly lean
- 1 Tbsp garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 4 cups potatoes peeled and chopped, about 6 medium (4 heaping cups)
- 3 cups zucchini shredded (2 large)
- 2 tsp dill dry (or 2 Tbsp fresh, chopped)
- ½ cup carrot shredded (about 1 medium)
- ½ cup cream
- 1 tsp salt more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup frozen or fresh corn (or drained canned)
- parmesan cheese grated (to top - optional, but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large cast iron Dutch oven on the stove top.
- Meanwhile, peel your potatoes and chop them in bite-sized pieces. Shred your zucchini and carrot.
- Remove bacon from the pan to drain. Remove all but 2 Tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add garlic to the bacon fat remaining in the pan and cook 1 minute on low to medium heat.
- Add chicken broth, potatoes, zucchini, dill, carrot, salt, black pepper, and corn and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium, cover, and cook 15 minutes.
- Uncover and cook on medium for 20 minutes, stirring often and breaking up potatoes a bit.
- Once potatoes are done, turn heat off and add cream. Serve hot topped with parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
Don't Forget to Pin For Later!
Really yummy and a good way to hide veggies from picky eaters.
Thanks Zoe! I agree!
Really good soup!!! I used half & half in place of cream and added in a cup of finely diced celery I had excess of but otherwise made no modifications. We will make this again.
So glad you loved it, Becky! Adding celery sounds delicious - I love to add what I have on hand to soups.
This was absolutely fantastic.
I made it in the instant pot high pressure for 10 min and let naturally release pressure. I smashed some of the potatoes with the side of my spoon. And added half and half, but only about 1/4-1/3 cup (all I had.)
I didn’t need a second cooking time at 10 min on high pressure; the veggies were perfectly soft.