Courgette Pea and Pesto Soup (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant spring blend of fresh courgette, sweet peas, and aromatic basil pesto. Creamy, comforting, and ready in under an hour.

# 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, store-bought or homemade

→ Garnish & Serving

11 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
12 - Crusty bread, optional

# Directions:

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 another 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until potato is tender.
04 - Add peas and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or standard blender in batches to purée soup until smooth.
06 - Stir in 3 tablespoons of pesto, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls, swirl remaining pesto on surface, and garnish with fresh basil. Serve hot with crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The soup comes together in just 40 minutes but tastes like it simmered all day, perfect for those evenings when you want something that feels special without the fuss.
  • That final swirl of pesto transforms what could be an ordinary vegetable soup into something restaurant-worthy, and nobody needs to know how simple it actually was.
02 -
  • Dont overcook the peas or theyll lose their bright green color and sweet flavor, five minutes is truly all they need.
  • The soup thickens considerably as it cools, so if youre making it ahead, you might need to add a splash more stock when reheating.
03 -
  • For an extra layer of flavor, roast the courgettes in a hot oven until slightly caramelized before adding them to the soup.
  • Reserve a few tablespoons of the cooked peas before blending and scatter them on top of each serving for a beautiful textural contrast that hints at whats in the soup.
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