Spring Vegetable Soup Pesto (Printable)
A fresh, colorful blend of spring vegetables combined with fragrant basil pesto for a comforting dish.
# What goes in:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts, sliced
06 - 3.5 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
07 - 3.5 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
08 - 3.5 oz peas, fresh or frozen
09 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
10 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
→ Broth & Seasonings
11 - 5 cups vegetable broth
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
14 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Pesto
15 - 1.5 oz fresh basil leaves
16 - 1 oz pine nuts
17 - 1 small garlic clove
18 - 1.5 oz grated Parmesan cheese
19 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
20 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and leek, sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Stir in garlic, carrots, and zucchini. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Add green beans, asparagus, and bay leaf. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
04 - Add peas and cook for 5 minutes more, then add spinach and cook until just wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
05 - Season the soup with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
06 - In a food processor, blend basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. With motor running, slowly add olive oil until smooth paste forms. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and swirl a generous spoonful of pesto into each serving. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The broth tastes like spring itself light, bright, and somehow comforting all at once
- That swirl of pesto at the end transforms something simple into something restaurant-worthy
- You can use whatever fresh vegetables look best at the market, no rigid rules
02 -
- Don't overcook the vegetables or you'll lose that fresh spring taste and pretty colors
- The pesto can be made ahead and stored in the fridge, but bring it to room temperature before serving
- This soup is best eaten the same day, as the vegetables continue to cook and lose texture
03 -
- If you can only find thick asparagus stalks, peel the bottoms with a vegetable peeler so they cook at the same rate as the thinner pieces
- Make double the pesto and use the rest throughout the week on pasta, sandwiches, or roasted vegetables