Spring vegetable soup with basil pesto
- 25g pack basil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 25g pistachios nuts
- 25g vegetarian parmesan -style cheese, (we used Twyneham Grange, available from Sainsbury’s)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
-
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
- Heat the oil, then fry the leek until softened.
Add the green beans and courgette, then
pour in the stock and season to taste. Cover
and simmer for 5 mins.
- Meanwhile, make the pesto: put the basil,
garlic, nuts, Parmesan, oil and ½ tsp salt in
a food processor, then blitz until smooth.
- Stir the tomatoes, cannellini beans and
vermicelli into the soup pan, then simmer
for 5 mins more until the veg are just tender.
The soup and pesto can now be chilled for
up to a day.
- Reheat the soup, if necessary, then stir in
half the pesto. Ladle into bowls and serve
with the rest of the pesto spooned on top.
Eat with chunks of crusty bread.