Courgette, Pea and Pesto Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Vibrant soup with fresh courgette, sweet peas, and herby pesto swirl. Perfect for celebrating spring flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium zucchini, diced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 1/3 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 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - 1/4 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, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add diced potato and zucchini to the saucepan, stir well, and cook for 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until potato is tender.
04 - Stir in peas and simmer for 5 additional minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth, or transfer to a countertop blender in batches.
06 - Stir in 3 tablespoons pesto and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls, swirl remaining pesto on surface, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve hot with crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, making weeknight dinners feel effortless.
  • The pesto swirl gives you that restaurant-quality finish without pretension or fuss.
02 -
  • If you blend hot soup, cover the lid loosely or you'll have a kitchen ceiling polka dot situation; steam builds pressure and needs somewhere to escape.
  • Pesto can disappear into a hot soup if stirred in too early, so stir most of it in just before serving and save some for that final, visible swirl.
03 -
  • The pesto swirl isn't just pretty; it's flavor insurance that adds brightness and herbaceous richness in every spoonful.
  • Using cold stock from the fridge slightly slows the cooking time, so keep it at room temperature or use hot stock to keep everything moving at a gentle pace.
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