Green Vegetable Soup

This soup takes advantage of summer vegetables bursting with flavor. If you find fresh small cannellini or other fresh beans, be sure to use them.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  onion, finely chopped
• 1  large leek, split and thinly sliced
• 1  celery, thinly sliced
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• 6  cups water
• 1  medium potato, diced
• 1  parsnip, finely diced
• 1  small kohlrabi or 1  small turnip, diced
• 5 1⁄2 ounces fresh peas (or frozen)
• 2  small zucchini, cut into fourths lengthwise and sliced
• 14  ounces  small cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 1⁄2 ounces  spinach leaves, cut into thin ribbons
•  salt and pepper

• Pesto

• 1  large garlic clove, very finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup fresh basil leaf
• 1  cup  freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 4  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan- Cook the onion and leek over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Add the celery, carrot, and garlic, then cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the water, potato, parsnip, kohlrabi or turnip, and green beans- Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover, simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the peas, zucchini, and small cannellini beans and season to taste- Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.
5. Meanwhile, make the pesto: Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary (Alternatively, pound together using a pestle and mortar.).
6. Add the spinach to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes- Stir a spoonful of the pesto into the soup.
7. Ladle into bowls and serve the remaining pesto separately.