Late Summer Vegetable Soup (with Basil Pistou)

This Late Summer Vegetable Soup with Basil Pistou is one of my favorite soup recipes! This recipe makes great use of all that delicious summer produce like zucchini, corn, basil but with the exceptional flavor of a garlikcy basil pistou, that's added on top right before serving.

Healthy Summer Soup

Soups are a great way to get in a ton of vegetables in one meal. As they say, soup is good for the soul (any time of year). And now that Jersey corn and tomatoes are at their peak, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to create a vegetable soup recipe which would highlight that exceptional flavor.

Roma Tomatoes

Many minestrone/vegetable soups call for canned tomatoes in their recipe. For this recipe, I use fresh organic Roma tomatoes. They add such amazing fresh flavor that only ripe summer tomatoes can bring. They do require just a bit of prep work before cooking to remove the skins, but it's well worth the effort.

How to Prep Roma Tomatoes for Easy Peeling:

(you need about 5-6 Roma tomatoes)

• Using a sharp knife, mark the tomatoes at the tip with "X".
• Place them in a pot of boiling water for one minute.
• Transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool.
• Peel.

What is Basil Pistou?

Although the fresh vegetables alone are insanely delicious, the basil pistou is what really makes this soup special.

Pistou is a French condiment made from basil and garlic and used like pesto. I throw in a little Italian flare, by adding in some Parmesan cheese as well. If you wanted to keep this dish vegan, just omit the cheese part.

Pistou can be stirred into pastas, slathered on sandwiches or used in vegetable soups, as I've done here (soup au pistou, in French). I suggest making large batches of it and freezing it in ice cube trays, to have whenever you need it.

How To Make the Basil Pistou

To a food processor, add basil leaves, garlic and parmesan cheese.

Begin to blend while at the same time adding in enough extra virgin olive oil to create a sauce. (sauce should not be too thin and not too thick...think pesto!)

Serving Options

There are a few options for serving the soup.  For the kids, I added in some orzo pasta.  My husband and I devoured it as is, with some toasted bread on the side...hello!  You can add some beans to make it even more satisfying.

Either way, this little bowl of soup makes you feel like you're being instantly transported to Provence.

Not a bad way to travel, huh?

Late Summer Vegetable Soup with Basil Pistou

Donna Castellano MS, RDN

This Late Summer Vegetable Soup with Basil Pistou is a delicious soup made with summer vegetables and a fragrant garlicky topping.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine French

Servings 4

Calories 183 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 5-6 Roma tomatoes peeled and chopped *
• ½ cup basil pistou
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 2 large zucchini quartered and chopped
• 2 cups corn kernels preferably fresh
• 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• coarse salt
• pepper

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil in a medium sized soup pot.
• Saute onions, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt for about 3-4 minutes until they begin to break down and soften.
• Add in the zucchini and corn and saute another 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, broth, bay leaves and bring to a boil.
• Turn down heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve in soup bowls.
• Top each bowl with about a tablespoon of basil pistou,
• Serve with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

**Nutrition calculations are for the soup only.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 494mgPotassium: 691mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 5986IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg

I prefer to focus on quality ingredients from a variety of sources that work in tandem to promote optimal health. Nutrition calculations may not reflect these valuable interactions. However, I understand certain values can be helpful to some. Please note these calculations are merely estimates. Values will vary depending on modifications, brands used, and portion size. Should you require specific information, it's best to consult with a dietitian or qualified healthcare provider.

Course Dinner

Cuisine French

Keywords basil pesto, basil pistou, healthy summer soup recipe, summer soup recipe, summer vegetable soup, vegetable soup

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