Courgette, Pea and Pesto Soup (Print version)

Fresh courgette and sweet peas blended with herby pesto for a vibrant, spring-inspired vegetarian soup.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium zucchini, diced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1⅓ cups frozen or fresh peas
05 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable stock

→ Herbs & Seasoning

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Pesto

10 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto, store-bought or homemade

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
12 - Crusty bread for serving

# How to Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add diced potato and zucchini, stir well, and cook for 3 minutes until beginning to soften.
03 - Pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until potato is tender.
04 - Add peas and simmer for 5 additional minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth, or transfer to a countertop blender in batches.
06 - Stir in 3 tablespoons of pesto and season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle into bowls, swirl remaining pesto on top, and garnish with fresh basil. Serve hot with crusty bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can go from craving comfort food to holding a warm bowl before your day even winds down.
  • The pesto swirl isn't just pretty—it transforms something simple into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and can easily adapt for any dietary preference, making it one of those recipes that works for everyone at the table.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of the onion and garlic—those few minutes build a foundation of flavor that makes all the difference between flat soup and something complex.
  • Taste as you blend; sometimes the stock is more seasoned than you expect, so you might need less salt than the recipe suggests.
03 -
  • An immersion blender makes this soup accessible even if you don't have a fancy countertop blender—it's worth the small investment if you're making soup regularly.
  • Let the soup cool slightly before blending if you're worried about splashing hot liquid everywhere; a cooler soup is safer and actually easier to puree smoothly.
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