Description
This hearty, healthy vegetable soup will get you through until the farmers’ markets are cranking out peak of the season produce again. A dollop of pesto will brighten the flavors and get you jonesin’ for sweet summer corn and tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided per below
- 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 3/4 pounds mini potatoes, such as Boomer Gold, cut in half or quarters depending on size
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 pounded winter squash, such as butternut or acorn, peeled and diced
- 2 32-ounce chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 medium zucchini, trimmed and diced
- 1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and diced
- 1 15.5-ounce can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 pound shelled edamame, lima beans, or peas
- 1 pound frozen, chopped spinach
- 1 pound sweet corn
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Optional Garnish: Dollop with pesto
Instructions
In an 8-quart stock pot, heat two Tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the leeks and cook until wilted and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Push to the side and add the remaining Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Stir potatoes and leeks to combine.
Add the carrots and winter squash. Stir to combine.
Add about one cup of the stock, to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and remaining stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Check the doneness, especially for potatoes and squash.
Add the cannellini beans, tomatoes, edamame (or lima or peas), spinach and corn. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Top with a dollop of pesto (recipes linked below).
Notes
- Optional: add 1 pound cooked chopped chicken, about 2 cups. Yield will be higher, if chicken is added.
- Recipes for pesto available here, here and here.
- If any of the vegetables you are using are commercially frozen, check to see if they are par-cooked. If so, you may want to add them toward the end with the quick cooking ingredients like corn and spinach.
- If freezing, I like to wait to add seasoning until later when I serve it. I also find I may need to add a bit more stock if it’s been frozen.
- Prep time in the recipe includes only the time needed to get cooking. You can continue prepping while the first step is cooking. While total time accurately reflects the total time required, the prep time is the shortest time til you fire up the stove, not the time required to prep all ingredients to their ready-to-use state.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50
- Category: Soup
- Method: Cooktop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: healthy vegetable soup