If you love my other detox soup recipes, you are going to fall hard for this version with tons of fresh garden vegetables and anti-inflammatory turmeric. It’s perfect for days when your liver or digestive system needs a little downtime.
After taking 3 years off the wedding circuit, my first one back for the summer season really took a toll on my body. This whole past week, I felt like I needed soothing foods for my digestive system and to take a break from the usual irritants that had gotten my liver into a tizzy in the first place (ahem, sugar caffeine and alcohol!).
Unfortunately, it now being 80 degrees outside, I realized that most of my usual go to detox recipes are on the warming winter side (like this healing kitchari recipe or this butterless butter chicken) and would not cut it.
Enter: this summer detox soup that’s packed with zucchini, yellow squash and bell peppers.
This low FODMAP detox soup recipe is kind of a hybrid adaptation of the summer squash moqueca from my book, SIBO Made Simple, and the summer squash chowder from my Summer Reset elimination diet meal plan. Both use a little coconut milk and paprika to create a creamy base. Since this is a detox recipe and some people find coconut irritating, I made it optional here and used low FODMAP stock instead.
So what makes this soup a detox recipe?
Whenever I’m designing a detox recipe or something for an elimination diet, I keep in mind a few elements.
First, the dish should have as many nutrient dense plants as possible. The more colorful, the better, as that’s a good indication of the antioxidant variety a vegetable contains. In this case, we have greens (zucchini, cilantro), yellows (squash, peppers), and oranges (turmeric, carrots and bell peppers).
The second, which for gut folks is equally important, is that those plants need to be as easy to digest as possible. That means warm, cooked or pureed. So while I don’t always love piping hot rich stews in summer, drinking this soup at least at room temperature or warm helps support a stagnant digestive system and wakes it up. Even if you’re including legumes like in this Moroccan Detox Soup, having them cooked low and slow until well-broken down makes them easier to assimilate.
5 star reader review
“I recently read your book, which I enjoyed very much, so I decided to check out your blog. I saw this soup recipe and decided to give it a try. So glad I did! My husband I and I both loved it! I make soup every week for our lunches and this delicious recipe will definitely go into our regular rotation!”
—Lisa
Finally, I like to add anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric and chelating agents like cilantro. The former helps calm the digestive system and repair any gut damage. The latter helps the liver get back on track.
In addition to being low FODMAP adaptable, this recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian. This means we are sticking with mononutrients, which is easier on the digestion than having to process starch and animal protein at the same time. And we avoid some potential irritants like dairy and grains. If you want to add another side dish that fits the bill, try serving it alongside this low FODMAP broccoli.
If you’re looking to give your system a more robust detox, I also recommend swapping your coffee with some of these caffeine-free coffee alternatives, focusing on sugar-free snacks, adding in digestive enzymes, and checking out some of these other tips for how to detox your liver naturally.
Read on for this summer detox soup recipe to get your liver ready for bikini season! And if you’re looking for more low FODMAP soups, check out this low FODMAP tomato soup recipe!
Finally, if you love the simple ingredients of this soup, you will love this low FODMAP breakfast: my oven baked zucchini frittata!
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
Light & Fresh Vegetable Detox Soup (Low FODMAP + Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 2 medium yellow or orange bell peppers finely diced
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 4 scallions or spring onions white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
- 2 medium zucchini 3/4 pound, finely diced
- 2 medium summer squash 3/4 pound, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- One 5.4 ounce can unsweetened coconut cream optional, see note
- 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, carrot and white scallions, if using. Sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, or until starting to brown and caramelize. Stir in the zucchini, summer squash, paprika and turmeric. Cook for 4 minutes more, until very fragrant and starting to soften.
- Pour in the coconut cream (if using), stock, and salt, scraping up any brown bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pan. Simmer rapidly over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the squash is fork tender but not too mushy. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice and half the cilantro.
- With an immersion blender or stand blender, puree half of the soup, making sure there are still plenty of chunks to make it chowder-like. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and enjoy.
Lisa Y says
I recently read your book, which I enjoyed very much, so I decided to check out your blog. I saw this soup recipe and decided to give it a try. So glad I did! My husband I and I both loved it! I make soup every week for our lunches and this delicious recipe will definitely go into our regular rotation!
Phoebe Lapine says
so glad you enjoyed it!!
Jenna says
This soup is SO good! I have SIBO (and it’s currently flared up) and this soup left me feeling really light and refreshed after. Thank you!
I also didn’t have any summer squash, so just doubled the zucchini and replaced lime with lemon… turned out awesome still! 🙂
Phoebe Lapine says
awesome!! love it!
flagle says
so good. I will try this recipe this weedkend
Holly says
Yum! This is so good. My stomach has been really upset so I made this to calm things down. My husband, who is pretty picky, even liked it. Do you have the nutritional information for it? Or a way to add it to My Fitness Pal?
foodle says
So yummy! I will follow your instructions
Daniela Modesto says
Can just the green part be used? I’m working with a nutritionist on a low-fodmap protocol and was told green parts are what I should use not white. As those are still high in fod-maps.
Phoebe Lapine says
See the headnote…it says for LF folks to use green parts of the scallions only.
Daniela Modesto says
Ahh thank you! I missed it entirely. I’m back on here as I’m making it again! 🙂
Pam says
Would love to see the nutritional value as well. It helps when planning a daily menu. Thank you
Daniela Modesto says
I omitted the onion entirely and just used an onion substitute because I really wanted to make this recipe and it did not disappoint! It was nutrient-dense, tasty, creamy, and nourishing. This is one I’ll make again and again. As a fellow food blogger and someone working through many gut issues, I appreciate a good recipe! Thank you 🙂
Phoebe Lapine says
so glad you liked it!
barbara says
can this be made in a crockpot? this looks so amazing!
Karen says
Absolutely delicious!! I also add some shredded cooked chicken for extra protein and texture. We like it so much I made a regular (non-low FODMA) batch for friends.
Phoebe Lapine says
yay! definitely add onion if you can handle it 🙂
A says
I think I wasn’t a big fan of the broth I used (Pacific organic veggie broth), but overall this was not tasty. It was bland.
Cindy says
Amazing I used butternut squash, leek for the onion and the rest per the ingredients and it was amazing. I added Kale as well. Definitely make it again, thank you!!
Paula says
OMG so delicious!
Flappy Bird says
Great formula! I love it.
Tiffany says
This soup is absolutely delicious, comforting on a winter day, and we love it with a slice of sourdough bread. Thank you!!!
Jennifer says
This was wonderful! Vegan & lowfodmap, just what I was looking for. Not many soup recipes out there without onion-this ones a keeper! The coconut makes is rich & satisfying.
Phoebe Lapine says
so glad you enjoyed!!
John Brown says
thanks
Angela says
wonderful!
Beth says
I made this and it was delicious! I used coconut milk instead of cream and added a FODMAP friendly garlic replacer, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes and rice. It was incredible and my daughter couldn’t tell there was no garlic or regular onions.
Jane Hatzberger says
Can you recommend a vegetable stock that I can buy that doesn’t have onions, garlic? Thank you.
Phoebe Lapine says
Gourmend is my favorite. https://www.gourmendfoods.com/products/low-fodmap-organic-vegetable-broth/
Wendy says
I totally went off of the ingredient list and bought coconut “cream.” Was wondering why it came out so sweet. Then I realized in the notes it says coconut milk. Had to throw it all out. just thought i’d mention it for future reference. Some peopme like me go exactly by the list. ♀️
Phoebe Lapine says
That should have been find Wendy if it’s unsweetened. They are the same thing just different water content. You would have needed to buy unsweetened though for either product.
Ruth Cayll says
Wow the vegetable detox was amazing. I did mess up and used smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika. I only use 1 teaspoon of salt, but it turned out amazing. I will use the sweet paprika next time. I love getting your emails and I am reading your book. Thank you so much for your guidance.
Phoebe Lapine says
Thank you Ruth! Either paprika will be delish!
Ann A. Jones says
What can I use in place of the coconut cream? My body doesn’t like coconut in any form, so I don’t use it. Thanks
Phoebe Lapine says
you can just omit it!
Alaa says
I just made this soup without lots of the ingredients (Zucchini, Squash, Cilantro, and Coconut cream) and it still turned out so delicious!!!
I’ve been looking for a long time for healthy, easy-to-cook, and delicious stuff, and this soup is the start! Thank you so much!!