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Spring Vegetable Soup with Fresh Basil Pesto

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The days are warming and evenings are longer—soup season won’t last forever. If you’re not ready to give up soup just yet, this spring vegetable soup with pesto is an ideal transition. It’s lighter and broth-based, full of fresh spring vegetables like zucchini and green beans, and brightened with a homemade pesto and crisp pancetta for depth of flavor.

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Spring Vegetable Soup with Pesto

Fresh pesto and seasonal vegetables make this brothy soup comforting and bright—perfect for a cool spring evening.
5
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
55 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Lauren Keating

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Pancetta diced
  • 2 Small onions diced
  • 8 cups Water
  • 1 Large carrot sliced into coins
  • 1 Large potato diced
  • 1 Can small white beans drained
  • 1 cup Fresh green beans trimmed
  • 1 Small zucchini diced
  • ½ cup Elbow pasta
  • ½ cup Loosely packed basil
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 Tablespoon Pine nuts
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Add the pancetta to a large soup pot and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the fat begins to render. Add the diced onions and cook until softened, 3–5 minutes. Pour in the water, then add the carrot, potato, and drained white beans. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the green beans, zucchini, and elbow pasta, and continue simmering until the pasta is cooked through, 10–15 minutes.
  • While the soup simmers, make the pesto. In a food processor or with a sharp knife, combine the basil, garlic, Parmesan, and pine nuts and process or chop until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and whisk in the olive oil to reach a spoonable consistency.
  • Stir the pesto into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes so the flavors meld, then serve warm.

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This soup is flexible: swap in other spring vegetables you have on hand, use leftover cooked beans, or skip the pancetta for a vegetarian version. The pesto is the finishing touch—stir it in just before serving for a fresh, aromatic boost. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of days and reheat gently on the stove. Enjoy a bowl while spring produce is at its best.