Summer Vegetable Soup With Pesto

Soup and summer aren’t generally two words you see together (unless we’re talking gazpacho!). I love soup though, and it’s such a great way to get a bunch of veggies into your diet (especially when you’re on your 10th salad of the week). Enter: summer vegetable soup.

This one uses the great vegetables of summer: zucchini, corn from the cob, green pepper, and kale. Plus, whole-wheat pasta and white beans to keep you full. Garnish with zippy pesto and fresh parsley for a final burst of flavor!

Here’s the starting line-up.

Chop your veggies into bite-size pieces, and tear the kale into pieces you’d want to stuff in your mouth too : )

I learned this trick to removing corn from a cob years ago (I think from Rachael Ray!). Turn a small bowl upside-down inside a big one, and carefully cut the kernels off.

Add cooking oil to a big pot and cook garlic until fragrant. Add about 1/4 tsp kosher salt and chopped pepper and zucchini. Cook for five to seven minutes, until soft and brown.

Then add the beans and diced tomatoes.

Next, add the vegetable broth and pasta and bring to a boil.

When the pasta is al dente, add corn and kale and allow the corn to cook and greens to wilt, for about five minutes.

Portion into bowls and garnish with pesto and parsley. Freshly-made pesto would be the bomb, but I have a few prepared pestos that I think are fabulous for the price and amount, so feel free to use those too!

Summer Vegetable Soup with Pesto

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Ingredients (4-6 servings)

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 ears of corn, cut from cob
• 1 green pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 zucchini, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 4 cups chopped greens, like kale
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes plus juices
• 1 can white beans, drained
• 1 32-ounce box vegetable broth
• 10-ounce box whole wheat pasta
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup prepared pesto, for garnish
• Italian parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add oil to stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and about 1/4 tsp kosher salt. When garlic begins to brown, add chopped pepper and zucchini. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft and brown. Add paprika.
2. Add tomatoes, beans, broth and pasta and bring to a boil.
3. When pasta is al dente, add corn and kale and allow to the corn to cook and greens to wilt, about 5 minutes.
4. Portion into bowls and top with parsley and pesto, if desired.

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