Zucchini Soup

Contributed By: Adventures in Freeze Drying

One recipe will makes 8 cups

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop all vegetables as needed.
2. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of broth.  Add the prepared vegetables and sauté for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften.
3. Pour in 4 cups of broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop.
5. Stir in the basil, salt, and pepper to taste.
6. Remove the pot from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
7. Add parchment paper to your trays.
8. Pour the soup onto the trays.
9. Place dividers to help control serving sizes. We like to use 40 portions per tray because smaller sizes are easier to store in jars.
10. Pre-freeze when possible.
11. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 26 hours).
12. Store a single serving  in jars.

Rehydration:

10 squares = 1 portion of soup (about 13 g).  Add ¾ cup boiling water to your jar and stir until lumps disappear. Let sit for 2 minutes. Check for consistency, add more water if desired.  

Notes:

This recipe is even better with a creamy finishing touch! A drizzle of heavy cream or a similar topping enhances the richness. For an extra level of creaminess, I like to add a portion of freeze-dried cream cheese to each jar of soup when I package it —it rehydrates beautifully, blending in for a smooth texture.

Nutritional Value Per 1 serving

Calories: 39   Protein: 2 g   Fat: 1 g   Carbohydrates: 6 g   Sugar: 4 g   Fiber: 1 g

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.