Since it is sunny and almost 80 degrees here in Texas, I thought I’d better share this winter gem before winter evades us in the southern states completely.
I am generally a hater of vegetable soups, or really soups that are brothy at all. I like my soups thick and cheesy (like I like my men? wait, no, not like that). This soup, however, uses pesto, something I really enjoy, and is slightly spicy (definitely how I like my men) which makes it better than your run of the mill vegetable soup in my opinion.
I got the recipe for this soup from the back of a box of Swanson’s Vegetable Broth, so thanks, Swanson’s, but if you are trying to be gluten-free, Swanson’s broth IS NOT, so don’t use it. (I found most Kroger brand broths to be g-f, and cheaper, so that’s a plus.) This recipe makes a pretty hefty pot of soup, so if you are only serving one or two, I’d recommend either halving the recipe or freezing half of it after you’ve prepared it.
Okay, on with the show!
4 3/4 cups vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, diced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (I think I just used russet, but use whatever kind suits your fancy)
1 medium turnip (*See note at the bottom for how to pick out a turnip.)
2 large leeks, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 can (19 oz.) white kidney (cannellini) beans rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. red pepper
Place 1 3/4 c. broth, carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, and celery in a large pot. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender crisp.
Add the remaining broth (3 cups), beans, bay leaf, and red pepper. Heat to a boil then reduce and simmer on low for 15 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf and serve topped with pesto.
So here’s the thing about pesto. Usually it is made with some sort of cheese, but if you are dairy-free or vegan here is a recipe for vegan pesto. I have not tried this recipe, but it is exactly the same as other pesto recipes I’ve seen except it omits the cheese, so it should be good. If you don’t want to make it, I’m sure that you can buy it somewhere, I’m just not sure where because I haven’t looked for it anywhere. If you want a fancier dairy-free pesto recipe, my friend Jenna has one on her blog (post entitled Turnips, Leeks, and Pesto!). It does have soy in it, though. So, there’s that.
Anyhoo, this soup is great for a chilly night, and is definitely better than any vegetable soup I have every had!
I hope you all enjoy this soup! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or other similar recipes! Some people have sent me other recipes and they have been wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing! I love hearing from you all!
Happy Eating!
* How to pick out a turnip: Look for a turnip that is no taller than 3 inches and is creamy in color on the bottom and purple at the top (the purple is where it was exposed above the dirt). If you get a turnip any bigger it is more likely to be bitter.
Oops, I blogged. 