Courgette, Pea and Pesto Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Vibrant spring soup with courgette, peas, and basil pesto. Easy vegetarian dish 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

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
12 - Crusty bread for serving

# Direction Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add diced potato and courgette to the saucepan, stir well, and cook for 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until potato is tender.
04 - Stir in peas and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Alternatively, 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, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve hot with crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like spring in a bowl but comes together faster than you'd expect.
  • One immersion blender is all you need—no fancy equipment or complicated techniques required.
  • The pesto swirl feels like a small act of generosity toward yourself, turning simple vegetables into something restaurant-worthy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the swirl of pesto on top—it's not just for looks, it keeps the pesto's herb flavor bright and fresh rather than getting muted by blending it all in.
  • The immersion blender makes this soup possible, but if you only have a countertop blender, work in batches and never fill it more than halfway or hot soup will escape everywhere.
03 -
  • Don't rush the sautéing of onion and garlic—those three to four minutes build the flavor foundation everything else rests on.
  • Reserve that final tablespoon of pesto for the top of each bowl instead of stirring it all in; you'll taste the basil brighter and the visual appeal makes people want seconds.
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