Courgette Pea and Pesto Soup (Printable Version)

Vibrant spring soup with courgettes, peas, and basil pesto swirl

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 3 medium courgettes (zucchini), diced
05 - 1⅔ cups frozen or fresh peas
06 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable stock

→ Seasoning

08 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto
11 - 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or Greek yogurt, optional
12 - Fresh basil leaves, optional

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced courgettes and potato. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
05 - Add peas and continue simmering for 5 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
06 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to purée until smooth.
07 - Season with salt and pepper. Reheat gently if needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and swirl in 1 tablespoon pesto per serving. Top with crème fraîche or Greek yogurt and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes, which means you can have something restaurant-quality on the table before you've finished your first cup of tea.
  • The pesto swirl transforms this from simple vegetable soup into something that tastes like you fussed over it, even though you barely did.
02 -
  • Never blend this soup while it's still steaming hot, because a pressure buildup in a sealed blender can be dangerous, so let it cool for a few minutes first or use an immersion blender.
  • The pesto goes in at the very end as a swirl on top, not blended throughout, because cooking basil turns it dark and bitter and destroys everything you loved about it in the first place.
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to save dishes and avoid the risk of hot soup splashing during transfer to a regular blender.
  • The potato is doing hidden work here by creating creaminess without cream, so don't skip it even if you think potatoes don't belong in spring soup.
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