Spring Vegetable Pesto Swirl (Print View)

Vibrant soup with spring vegetables and a fragrant pesto swirl, perfect for seasonal fresh flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
06 - 3.5 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
07 - 3.5 oz shelled peas, fresh or frozen
08 - 3.5 oz baby spinach leaves
09 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Broth & Seasoning

10 - 5 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Pesto Swirl

15 - 4 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
16 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add leek and garlic, sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add carrots and potato to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to begin softening.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes start to become tender.
04 - Stir in green beans and zucchini. Continue simmering for 7 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
05 - Add peas and spinach, cooking for 2–3 minutes until spinach wilts and all vegetables are tender but still vibrant in color.
06 - Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir in fresh chopped parsley.
07 - In a small bowl, mix basil pesto with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil until well combined.
08 - Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Drizzle or swirl a spoonful of pesto mixture over each portion. Serve immediately.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • The pesto swirl transforms simple vegetable soup into something restaurant-worthy with almost no extra effort
  • Its one of those rare soups that actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld together
02 -
  • Do not add the spinach and peas until the very end or they will turn an unappetizing muddy color
  • The pesto swirl should be added at the table, not stirred into the whole pot, for the best presentation
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly and look elegant in the bowl
  • Reserve some bright green peas to scatter on top as a fresh garnish before the pesto

Go Back