Summer veggie soup with pesto
portions
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pcs Yellow onion
- 2 pcs Carrots
- 2 pcs Celery stalk
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 8 cups Vegetable stock
- 1 tsp Salt
- 0.25 tsp Ground black pepper
- 1 pcs Bay leaves
- 0.66 cups Simple pasta
- 1 pcs Zucchini
- 1 cups Frozen peas
- 0.5 cups Pesto
- 1 pcs Hard, grated cheese
Method
- Cut vegetables into approapriate sizes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent and the vegetables are partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low if the onions start to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes more.
- Add the stock, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Add the orzo, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes. Add the zucchini and frozen peas. Adjust the heat to bring back to a simmer and cook until the orzo is cooked and all the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 2 minutes more. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (Remember, it will taste a little bland without the pesto and Parmigiano-Reggiano.)
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a heaping tablespoon of pesto and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pass more pesto and cheese at the table.