Courgette Pea Pesto Soup (Printable)

Silky smooth blended soup with garden vegetables and herbaceous pesto swirl

# What You 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 - 1 2/3 cups frozen or fresh peas
06 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable stock

→ Seasoning

08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - 1/4 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 Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced courgettes and potato. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
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 and cooked through.
06 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender to purée soup until smooth and creamy.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently over low heat if needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and swirl 1 tablespoon of pesto into each serving. Top with crème fraîche or Greek yogurt and fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready in thirty minutes flat, which means you can have restaurant-quality soup on the table before dinner guests arrive.
  • The pesto swirl transforms something simple into something that feels intentional and special without requiring any fancy techniques.
02 -
  • Don't skip the immersion blender moment because the texture is what makes this feel intentional, not accidental, and smooth soup tastes richer than chunky soup even when it's not.
  • The pesto goes on at the end, not during cooking, because heat ruins its bright flavor and that swirl is half the magic.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when softening the onion because steam will make it stew instead of caramelize, and that two-minute difference changes everything.
  • Taste the soup before adding salt because pesto and stock both carry their own saltiness, and it's easier to add than remove.
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