Summer, I’m going to miss you when you’re gone.
I’m going to miss your evening light. Even now I can see it slowly slinking away earlier than the night before.
I’m going to miss your markets. Your festivals. Your weekend events. Bare feet and flip flops. And ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.
Granted, I’m not going to miss your stifling heat and suffocating humidity, but that doesn’t make me love you any less.
But what I’m really going to miss the most is your bounty. Your ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, sweet summer corn. Heck, I’ll even miss your influx of summer squash, which I’ve admitted before is not my favorite thing in the world.
But I will miss that squash for opportunities like this one. The fact that I am neither a squash lover nor a soup person in any sense of the word should tell you something; the fact that I went back for seconds of this light and creamy summer soup should incite you to act. Don’t complain about week after week of yellow abundance; savor that summer squash while you still have it. It’ll be gone before you know it.
Yellow Summer Squash and Corn Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 pound yellow summer squash
- 2 ears corn
- 3 large shallots
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 fresh jalapeño chile
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 1/2 cups water
Directions:
- Cut summer squash crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Shuck corn and, working over a bowl, cut kernels from cobs. Halve cobs. Chop shallots and mince garlic. Wearing rubber gloves, chop chile, with seeds if desired.
- In a 5-quart heavy kettle combine all ingredients (including cobs) except water and cook over moderate heat, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in water and simmer mixture until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard cobs. In a blender puree mixture in batches until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to another bowl. Season soup with salt and pepper. Divide soup between 2 bowls and garnish with corn, chiles, cilantro, small dollops of sour cream, and squash.
Recipe from Epicurious.
All images and text ©Lindsay Landis / Love & Olive OilDid you make this recipe?
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This was a quick and easy soup to make and the flavors went well together. I didn’t have fresh corn so used frozen instead. I also used leeks instead of shallots since that’s what I had on hand. I did add a little chicken bouillon for extra flavor. It was very good topped with sour cream and peppers. I will make this again.
My friend at work gave me some summer squash from his garden. I wanted to do something different with it and found your recipe. I agree with Hugh about the original recipe being a little bland. I ended up doubling the cumin and adding lots of salt and pepper and it turned out great. I also added some heavy cream to make it richer. Loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
I found this recipe on Pinterest. YUM!!! I left the jalapeno seeds in and it adds the perfect kick (for me – I like spiciness). I made extra and froze it. What a perfect way to use up my wonderful garden squash. Thanks!
Delicious. I made it tonight for dinner and the only thing I added was a dash of Old Bay on each bowl (I didn’t put in the jalapeño or any type of spice). Have you tried freezing it? Do you think that it would survive intact?
I definitely think it could be frozen, most soups freeze quite well.
I can’t wait to try this…sounds so yummy and healthy!
I loved this soup! I added yellow bell pepper and used chicken broth instead of water. Thank you for the recipe. Yum!
Great post and great use of the summer ingredients that are slipping through our fingertips as the weather cools. I made this soup last night and am eating it now for lunch. I love the texture and the veggie factor, but I must say it is quite bland. I garnished with red chilies, fresh cilantro, and Tapatio hot sauce. It probably needs salt too. Maybe roasting the corn and squash before putting in the pot would yield a heartier flavor? Also, the cumin flavor is awesome. Maybe I would add some more next time.
I’m new to your blog, but found this recipe on pinterest. I had all the ingredients so I made this last night and I have to say it was really yummy! However the sour cream garnish is really what sold me. It pulled all the flavors together for me. I left out the pepper because of my toddler, but I put a bit of cayenne in my bowl and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’ve got lots of squash to use!
This looks so beautiful! Such a creative way to use summer squash. I have lots still coming from the garden, so I am definitely going to try this recipe. Thanks for the great idea!
I dread the end of summer cooking, too – until it’s time for all things pumpkin… or for delicious, hearty stews… and of course, Thanksgiving! This soup looks delicious, though – I’m obsessed with all things corn!
what a beautiful post – a lovely sendoff to summer. I’m still holding on to the last few weeks. Not ready to let go yet!
I am in love with this recipe and making it as I type. :D
First off the pictures are just gorgeous! And second I’m with The Nervous Cook, I adore squash AND soup…definitely going to have to give this one a whirl ;)
I know I’d love this soup — have to try it before summer dwindles too much more. Sounds wonderful :) I didn’t appreciate squash until I was an adult and now like it just about any way it’s prepared. As far as soup in general goes, I think it’s the perfect food. You can make it with just about anything and it can take so many forms. It fills one up without having to be laden with unhealthy things. Perfect! Just like your photos.
Somehow I missed this post. I know I would love this soup. And I feel the same way about summer squash. You’ve made a very compelling argument for it, though. Can’t wait to make it.
That’s the most perfect drizzle on top of soup that I’ve ever seen. Tears….
This looks amazing, Lindsay! I want to try this…I have another squash soup recipe I got from a hotel but it has never quite turned out right.
Looks so comforting and delicious and like the perfect way to honor the best season of the year.
I know other folks get sick of squash, but I’ll never understand it. Especially when a beauty like this comes along!
People who complain about having too much squash, just send it my way — I’ll make tubs and tubs of this delicious soup and never understand your fickle squash saturation.
Funny, I made a squash soup the other night (recipe coming up Monday) and the only reason I didn’t include corn was that I’d eaten all of it the night before! I’m dismayed to see that I’m not so unique after all… :)
Oh this looks like such a perfect goodbye to summer.
Oh yum! I have everything in the garden for this! Must make! :)
This is beautiful and looks so decadent! Love the pretty bowl too! I live in a place where the summer is endless…If it helps matters I actually get envious of all you “mainlanders” that get to wear all those fantastic fall and winter fashions out there!
Love your blog. It’s beautiful! Aloha from Maui