You Need to Make Sunny Anderson’s Easy Green Gazpacho Especially If You Have Too Much Zucchini

Food Network star Sunny Anderson’s Gazpacho soup recipe hits the spot as the weather gets warmer.

Spicy and bright, it’s a refreshing dish likely to earn a regular place on your spring and summer dinner menu.

Anderson says her Gazpacho recipe is perfect for when you have a lot of zucchini

The co-host of The Kitchen says zucchini, because of its high water content, is an ideal vegetable for this dish.

“I feel like, since I started gardening outside, I’ll get these DMs from people like, ‘What do you do with the overabundance of zucchini?’ Because zucchini could just grow like weeds,” she told Rachael Ray on Ray’s daytime show (video below).

“I mean, they’re filled with water; that’s why this is like a really healthy soup as well. And if you water them properly, they’re going to balloon up overnight.”

In addition to the zucchini, Anderson also uses for the vegetables in this recipe, scallions and “tart and tangy” tomatillos. “So obviously, this is going to be a nice, green gazpacho,” Anderson added.

The soup itself calls for full-fat Greek yogurt, fresh basil leaves, unpeeled Kirby or English cucumbers, garlic, lemon and, of course, salt and pepper.

The dish is topped off with a garnish of honey and Greek yogurt.

Sunny Anderson’s refreshing gazpacho is a practically instant meal

The chef’s twist on the classic Spanish soup served cold first has the zucchini, onions, and tomatilloes grilled, adding a welcome smoky flavor to the dish. Then, the vegetables are blended along with raw garlic.

“I think a lot of people are offended by raw garlic,” she told Ray, “but I think that a little bit of the heat from the grill is going to blend it.”

Also going into the blender are the English cucumbers, fresh basil leaves, and the yogurt: “I’ve been substituting Greek yogurt for sour cream for some time now, and I really like it. You could do whole fat or low fat.”

Once the mixture has been thoroughly combined and becomes smooth, it’s ready to chill. “See how easy that is? Really, really pretty.”

For a fun and playful serving idea, Anderson suggested that if “you’re having a cute little spring soiree, you can put it in shot glasses.”

Ray added, “If you chill the little glasses and put that out at a party, what a refreshing, delightful snack, you know? It’s an appetizer.”

Get the complete recipe and reviews on Food Network’s site.

Home cooks loved Sunny Anderson’s quick and delicious gazpacho recipe

The perfect dish to enjoy on a hot summer day, Anderson’s elegant soup impressed reviewers.

One home cook loved the intense flavor so much, they couldn’t wait for the soup to chill: “Bright and vibrant and easy to make. Used my stovetop cast iron griddle and was too excited to chill and ate my serving immediately ha ha! Delicious!”

Another reviewer suggested a vegan spin on the soup: “This recipe is delicious and so easy! I made a vegan version and left out the Greek yogurt.”