Courgette Pea and Pesto Soup (Printable)

Vibrant spring soup with courgettes, peas, and basil pesto swirl. Ready in 30 minutes.

# 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
12 - Fresh basil leaves

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the diced courgettes and potato to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are nearly tender.
05 - Add the peas and continue simmering for 5 minutes until all vegetables are completely tender.
06 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth, or transfer to a standard blender in batches.
07 - Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently over low heat if needed.
08 - Ladle soup 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 comes together faster than you'd expect, leaving your kitchen smelling like an Italian garden without hours of fussing.
  • The texture is naturally creamy from the potato, so there's no cream needed unless you want it, making this as light or indulgent as you're feeling.
  • One spoonful tastes like spring captured in a bowl, and somehow it works just as well in March as it does in September.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial cooking of the onion and garlic—this slow start builds the flavor foundation that keeps the soup from tasting thin and one-dimensional.
  • The potato is not optional if you want that natural creaminess; without it you'll either need heavy cream or a much larger quantity of vegetables to get the right texture.
03 -
  • Taste your stock before using it, and adjust the final seasoning accordingly—homemade stock needs less salt than store-bought, and knowing this small thing prevents over-seasoning.
  • If your blended soup seems too thick, thin it gently with a bit more stock rather than water, which keeps the flavors strong and balanced.
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