This recipe was shared by a volunteer at Cholsey Community Larder. I was chatting to their customers about how to avoid food waste; this was suggested as a great way to use up a glut of courgettes.
Homemade soup is a great mid-week meal – you can basically pop everything in the pan and leave it to cook. Give it a quick blitz (or not) and serve with a nice chunk of bread – ours was from the Jericho Community Pantry.
I was told this recipe is even more delicious served cold the next day with an extra swirl of cream – perfect for a warm summer’s day. The mild licorice-aniseed flavour of the tarragon really develops overnight. I have to confess I actually used a mixture of dill and bronze fennel in mine. Tarragon is one herb I don’t yet have in the garden – it’s now on my wish list. Cooking with zero waste is all about using what you have, substituting ingredients and experimenting!
Courgettes are an essential feature in your veg patch or why not plant one in a large pot if growing in a small space. They do need rich soil and plenty of water during the summer. If the weather is on our side, you can expect to pick 3-4 fruits per week from a single plant. No wonder people end up with too many!
Read more about growing courgettes, including which varieties to choose for pots or growing vertically in our newsletter – they featured as veg of the month last June. I especially love the bright yellow ones – they have a more nutty flavour and you don’t often see them in the shops. All the more reason to try growing your own.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 courgettes, chopped
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1-2 small potatoes, chopped (depending how thick you like it)
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil (or other plain oil like vegetable or sunflower)
- 300ml water or vegetable stock
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- 1-2 heaped tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- Plant based or dairy milk or cream to taste
Method
- Heat the oil and lightly fry the onion until soft
- Add the courgettes and cook for a further 5 minutes
- Add the potatoes, stock and peas and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potato is cooked.
- Add the tarragon towards the end of the cooking time
- Blend with a stick blender or food processor until smooth
- Add a glug of milk or cream if it’s too thick
- Serve with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds
We would love to know your favourite courgette recipes – share in the comments or on social media.
For more tips on cooking and growing nutritious food with zero waste, sign up to our monthly newsletter.
Replenish 