Spring Vegetable Soup Pesto (Print View)

A fresh medley of spring vegetables with a basil pesto swirl, perfect for a light seasonal dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
08 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
09 - 1 small potato, peeled and diced
10 - 5 cups vegetable broth
11 - 100 g baby spinach or chard, roughly chopped

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or herbes de Provence
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Pesto

16 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto (homemade or high-quality store-bought)

→ Garnish (optional)

17 - Fresh basil leaves
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese (omit for vegan)

# Method:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leek; sauté for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add the garlic, carrots, and potato. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat with the aromatic base.
03 - Stir in the zucchini, green beans, and peas. Cook for another 2 minutes to begin softening.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until all vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
05 - Stir in the spinach or chard and cook for 2 minutes, until just wilted but still vibrant in color.
06 - Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous spoonful of pesto. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like sunshine in a bowl, with every vegetable maintaining its distinct personality instead of mushing together
  • The pesto finish transforms simple broth into something restaurant-worthy with zero effort
  • You can adapt it endlessly based on whatever looked best at the market that morning
02 -
  • Add heartier vegetables like potatoes and carrots first, then tender ones like peas and spinach last so nothing turns to mush
  • The pesto is best stirred in right before serving, if you add it too early you lose that vibrant green swirl everyone loves
  • This soup actually tastes better the next day, so don't stress about making a big batch
03 -
  • Clean your leeks thoroughly by slicing them lengthwise and rinsing between layers, dirt loves hiding there
  • Let the soup cool slightly before adding that final squeeze of lemon juice, you'll taste the balance better

Go Back