Creamy yellow summer squash soup with parmesan and a bright squeeze of lemon juice is a delicious soup that’s loaded with fresh, simple ingredients. This delicious recipe is one of my favorite summer soups to make when the abundance of summer yellow squash floods our local farmer’s markets.

Summer squash soup is easily blended with an immersion blender in about 30 minutes and has lots of flavor served warm or cold.

Creamy yellow summer squash soup with parmesan and lemon in a white bowl on a bamboo placemat and orange and white checkered towel with lemon wedge and extra parmesan.

Why You’ll Love Yellow Squash Soup Recipe

Easy Recipe: This soup is made from a super easy recipe. All the ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores and it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s an easy weekday meal for a light lunch or dinner.

Deliciously Light and Comforting: The delicate parmesan-lemon flavor with the fresh veggies is perfect for a light meal anytime but especially in the summer. It’s a great way to use up all the beautiful yellow squash when you tired of just sauteed squash.

Healthy and Satisfying: Creamy summer squash soup is low carb and lower in calories than soup made with heavy cream. If you want fewer calories reduce the amount of parmesan cheese or eliminate it all together.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Delicious Yellow Squash Soup

Yellow Summer Squash – 6 medium yellow crookneck or straight squash or 8-10 smaller yellow squash. Yellow zucchini can be used in this soup as well because it is sweeter than it blander and bitter green zucchini. Yellow pattypan squash is more like an acorn squash, denser and meaty.
Onion and Garlic – White or yellow onion, it doesn’t matter. Leeks are delicious as well in this soup, white part only. Fresh minced garlic cloves
Dairy – Butter adds richness to any food but if you prefer oil then use 2 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil. Cream cheese is so good in this soup! I prefer whipped garlic-chive cream cheese, but regular cubed-block cream cheese works too. If you don’t have cream cheese on hand, then use 1 cup of heavy cream or coconut milk in place of cream cheese. Parmesan cheese is a hard cheese but not heavy like softer cheddar cheese. Blending a few teaspoons of flour with the parmesan cheese helps the cheese melt in this soup making it savory but still fresh and light.
Lemon – You don’t need a lot of lemon juice to make this soup wonderful. Use 1/2 of a lemon. Lime juice would be delicious as well especially if you replace the cream cheese with coconut milk.
Fresh Herbs & Spices – Fresh thyme or dried thyme. Garlic bouillon is delicious in this soup and adds so much flavor. If you can’t find garlic flavor, then use vegetable or roasted onion Better than Bouillon. Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle a few hot pepper flakes on top of each bowl full for a spicy kick.
Broth – Water with bouillon, chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock. Any of these can be used in this recipe.

Creamy Yellow summer squash soup with parmesan ingredients on a butcher block cutting board.

6 yellow summer squash
3 cups of cut-up sweet yellow onions
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 oz garlic-chive cream cheese, whipped or regular
1/2 of lemon, lemon juice
1 tablespoon of garlic bouillon, Better Than Bouillon Garlic Paste
2 tablespoons of butter, or olive oil
4 cups of water or chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock
1 cup of shredded or grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of flour, gluten-free or regular
4 fresh thyme sprigs
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
fresh chives

How to Make Creamy Yellow Squash Soup

STEP ONE: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil in the bottom of a large Dutch oven or large pot. Sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.

Onions and garlic sauteed in butter in a white Dutch oven.

STEP TWO: Cut yellow squash into large chunks and add to the sauteed onions and garlic. Stir together for about 2 minutes

Squash,onions and garlic sauteed in butter in a white Dutch oven.

STEP THREE: Add the water or broth, fresh thyme sprigs, and garlic bouillon. Boil on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until squash is soft. Note: If thyme sprigs are woody, scrap the leaves off and add to the soup.

Yellow squash, onions, garlic, thyme and broth in a white dutch oven.

STEP FOUR: Reduce heat to a simmer, not boiling, and add cream cheese and the juice of 1/2 of a lemon to the hot broth. Stir until the cream cheese is melted.

Yellow squash, onions, garlic, thyme, broth, and cream cheese in a white dutch oven.

STEP FIVE: Blend the parmesan cheese with 2 teaspoons of flour in a blender. Add the parmesan cheese-flour mixture to the hot liquids and blend with a handheld Immersion blender, stand-up blender, or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Note: If using a stand-up blender or food processor make sure the soup is cooled. This avoids “hot mess” explosions! You might need to work in batches if you have a small blender.

Yellow squash, onions, garlic, thyme, broth, and cream cheese in a white dutch oven with parmesan cheese added.

STEP SIX: Ladle into individual bowls and snip fresh chives.

Creamy yellow summer squash soup with parmesan and lemon with fresh ground pepper on top in a white Dutch oven.

Summer Squash Soup Recipe Options:

Serve with a piece of warm crusty bread for a light dinner.
Easy and fast homemade garlicky croutons are delicious with this soup.
Add bacon bits, chicken, or shrimp with a dollop of sour cream for a heavier soup.
Incorporate a few cut-up Yukon gold potatoes into the soup while boiling for a thicker soup.
Add a tablespoon of curry powder for a subtle curry taste. Snipped, fresh basil on top is delicious with curry spice.
Sprinkle a few red pepper flakes on top for a spicy kick.

Spoonful of Creamy yellow summer squash soup with parmesan and lemon in a white bowl on a bamboo placemat and orange and white checkered towel with lemon wedge and extra parmesan.

Recipe Tips:

If you love lemon like I do, then you’ll want to squeeze a little more lemon juice in each individual serving.

Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to one week in the refrigerator. This soup freezes well for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Q: Does summer squash need to be peeled before cooking?

A: Yellow summer squash does not need to be peeled before eating raw or cooking because the skin is so tender and thin. If you prefer it peeled, then peel it like a potato or carrot with a potato peeler.

Q: Do you scoop the seeds out of the summer squash?

A: No, the seeds are so small and translucent that there is no need. Larger yellow squash will have larger, sturdier seeds and will be bitter-tasting. Scoop out the large seeds with a small spoon or melon baller.

Q: Should you wash the yellow squash before cooking?

A: Yes, it’s always a good idea to wash fresh produce with water. Never use soap and do not scrub your vegetables. The easy way is to use your hands, rubbing all over under cool running water.

More Fresh Summer Recipes You’ll Love:

Easy and Healthy Vegetable Cabbage Soup

Sweet and Savory Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage

Easy Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Fresh Garden Salsa Recipe

Easy One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Creamy Yellow Summer Squash Soup with Parmesan

Creamy yellow summer squash soup with parmesan and a bright squeeze of lemon juice.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 28

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients

6 cups yellow summer squash chopped
3 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
4 cups water or chicken broth or vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 tbsp garlic bouillon paste Better than Bouillon Garlic
4 oz garlic-chive cream cheese whipped or regular
1/2 lemon juice
1 cup parmesan shredded
2 tsp flour, regular or whole wheat or gluten-free
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tsp of dried
sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
fresh chives snipped

Instructions

STEP ONE: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil in the bottom of a large Dutch oven or large pot. Sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.
3 cups chopped onion, 2 tbsp butter, 4 cloves garlic
STEP TWO: Cut yellow squash into large chunks and add to the sauteed onions and garlic. Stir together for about 2 minutes.
6 cups yellow summer squash
STEP THREE: Add the water or broth, fresh thyme sprigs, and garlic bouillon. Boil on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until squash is soft. Note: If thyme sprigs are woody, scrap the leaves off and add to the soup.
4 cups water or chicken broth, 1 tbsp garlic bouillon paste, 4 sprigs fresh thyme
STEP FOUR: Reduce heat to a simmer, not boiling, and add cream cheese to the hot broth. Squeeze 1/2 of a lemon into the soup. Stir until the cream cheese is melted.
4 oz garlic-chive cream cheese, 1/2 lemon
STEP FIVE: Blend the parmesan cheese with 2 teaspoons of flour in a blender. Add the parmesan cheese-flour mixture to the hot liquids and blend with a handheld Immersion blender, stand-up blender, or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Note: If using a stand-up blender or food processor make sure the soup is cooled. This avoids “hot mess” explosions! You might need to work in batches if you have a small blender
1 cup parmesan, 2 tsp flour, regular or whole wheat, sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
STEP SIX: Ladle into individual bowls and snip fresh chives.
fresh chives

Notes

Note: If thyme sprigs are woody, scrap the leaves off and add to the soup.

Note: If using a stand-up blender or food processor make sure the soup is cooled. This avoids “hot mess” explosions! You might need to work in batches if you have a small blender

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 225mgPotassium: 253mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 380IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 168mgIron: 1mg

Keyword lemon, light soup, low carb, parmesan cheese, yellow squash

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