Courgette Pea and Pesto (Printable)

Vibrant spring soup with fresh courgette, sweet peas and herby pesto swirl. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium courgettes (zucchini), diced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1⅓ 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 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Pesto

10 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto

→ Optional Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves
12 - Crusty bread

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns humble frozen peas into a sophisticated starter that feels much fancier than it actually is.
  • The pesto adds a complex herbal depth without you having to chop a dozen different greens.
02 -
  • If you blend the soup while it is boiling hot it can create a vacuum and splash everywhere.
  • Adding the pesto after turning off the heat preserves the fresh basil flavor much better than cooking it.
03 -
  • For a vegan version use a nutritional yeast based pesto to keep that savory kick.
  • Chill the soup overnight if you want the flavors of the garlic and basil to fully marry.
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