Spring Vegetable Soup Pesto (Printable)

A fresh, vibrant spring vegetable soup topped with aromatic pesto for a delightful flavor boost.

# What You Need:

→ 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and leek, and 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 the 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 the 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 the motor running, slowly add olive oil until a smooth, spoonable paste forms. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl a generous spoonful of pesto into each serving. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pesto swirl transforms simple vegetable soup into something restaurant worthy yet still feels like home
  • You can use whatever fresh spring vegetables you find at the market or in your CSA box
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • Do not rush the initial onion and leek step because that sweet foundation is what makes the soup taste complex
  • Adding the peas and spinach last keeps their color vibrant instead of turning them army green
  • The pesto should be added right before serving not cooked into the soup or it loses its fresh punch
03 -
  • Taste your vegetables before cooking because sweet fresh spring produce may need less salt than you expect
  • Use a vegetable peeler to strip the tough outer fibers from the asparagus stalks before cutting

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