This Pesto Soup with Zucchini and Potatoes is a bright, herby, and comforting soup – loaded with pasta, vegetables, and fresh basil. It’s a great soup to make if you have extra garden vegetables in the summer, or frozen vegetables in the winter. It’s easy to meal prep and make ahead too, so you can have ready-made soups during the week.
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This pesto soup with zucchini and potatoes is one of the best soups I’ve ever made! A French summer harvest soup featuring fresh picked zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes! And also features basil (which we grow a lot of!) in the pistou/pesto.
We always have dried beans around too, so this recipe is great because it utilizes a few different kinds. Excellent for lunch as well! I’ve been making this soup for years, and is a huge hit with the hubs too! I like to add a little bit of the pesto in the soup, and then stir in a big spoonful right before digging in.
This French Pesto Soup Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Fresh
- Flavorful
- Loaded with Vegetables
- Herby
- Hearty
- Vegetarian, and can easily be made Vegan if you omit the cheese
Grow Fresh Basil on Your Counter All Year Long
We got this great 6-Pod Aerogarden which is fantastic for growing herbs in the winter. We actually got it when we lived in a smaller apartment, but even now that we own an acreage we still use it year-round! I love growing herbs on my countertop like fresh basil, dill, mint, sage, thyme, parsley, and lemon balm. It uses LED lights and water, so no messy soil needed – you can have fresh herbs at your fingertips any time. I love picking a few springs of parsley to chop on pastas, adding basil leaves to soups, and tossing some dill in with my pasta salads. This Aerogarden is a great gift for anyone who would like fresh herbs… no big kitchen or green thumb required!
What’s In This Spring Minestrone with Pesto Recipe?
- Zucchini, Potatoes, Green Beans, Tomatoes, Basil – I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
If you think organic produce is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a look! - Gluten Free Farfalle Pasta: such a fun shape for this soup! I love using farfalle noodles in soups, especially with bright green pesto. This gluten free farfalle is made with brown rice and is a great pasta substitute for those who are gluten free.
- Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity Zoe olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s really inexpensive online here, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value, I would highly recommend!
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic when I have it, and this great jarred organic garlic when I don’t have fresh. It’s actually super convenient to have pre-chopped garlic on hand for quick and easy meal prep.
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: I like to use a pink Himalayan Sea Salt in my kitchen, which has more natural minerals than plain processed table salt. It’s fairly inexpensive, so I’d recommend this salt if you’re looking for an easy way to level up your spice pantry.
- Reduced Sodium Vegetable Stock or Bouillon: I love this low sodium vegetable base for my recipes because it has a great flavor and is lower in sodium. I only develop my recipes with low sodium ingredients so the ingredients shine. You can always add salt to a recipe if it needs it, but it’s almost impossible to take it out! By starting with a low sodium broth or bouillon, you can build bright vibrant flavors and add more salt later if needed.
Meal Prep Vegan Soups For the Win!
This fresh basil pesto soup is the perfect recipe for healthy homemade meal prep. I am a huge fan of meal prepping, batch cooking, and making recipes ahead. I love the convenience of cooking once and being able to enjoy healthy homemade meals during the week when I don’t have time. There’s a whole section of TheHerbeevore.com dedicated to my favorite tried & true meal prep recipes. With just a little planning and prep, you can have a week’s worth of recipes ready in the time it would take to make one portion. Just batch cook, divide into individual containers, and place in the fridge or freezer for later! I also made a list of my favorite meal prep products on Amazon that I use weekly. They make cooking easy peasy.
How Do I Make Pesto Noodle Soup?
For the Soup
- Bring the cannelloni and cranberry beans to a boil and skim foam off top. Simmer and cook for about 2 hours until the beans are tender. Alternatively, you can use canned beans and skip this step.
- Dice the zucchini and the potatoes into a small dice (1.5 inches) and add to the pot with the beans. Add green beans as well and the vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the zucchini disintegrates (about an hour). Mash a few pieces of zucchini and potatoes against the side of the pot for thickness. Add macaroni, taste and season.
For the Pesto
- In a food processor: peel and seed tomatoes and blend into a sauce. Set aside, and rinse out the processor bowl.
- Add roughly chopped garlic, basil, and olive oil. Blend until smooth, then add the tomatoes and blend again.
- Before serving, the soup, stir in the pesto into the soup pot.
- If desired, serve with parmesan or gruyere cheese at the table.
Other Herb Soup Recipes You’ll Love!
Orzo Soup with Spinach and Lemon Recipe (Vegetarian)
One Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup Recipe (Vegetarian)
Watercress Soup Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
Wild Rice Soup with Coconut Milk Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)
French Carrot Lentil Soup Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Get the Same Ingredients for this Pesto Soup with Potatoes and Zucchini
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
If you think organic produce is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a look!
As always, if you make this vegan and gluten free pesto soup with zucchini and potatoes recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Let’s keep in touch – make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get fresh recipes weekly. And don’t forget to follow over on Pinterest, Instagram , & Twitter– I’d love to connect with you there!
Pesto Soup with Zucchini and Potatoes
Ingredients
For The Soup
- 1/2 cup dried cannellini beans soaked overnight (or 1 14-ounce can)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberry beans soaked overnight (or 1 14-ounce can)
- 1 lb zucchini
- 1 lb green beans chopped into bite sized pieces
- 3 yellow potatoes diced
- 1 cup mini farfalle pasta or other small pasta shape
- 1 cup peas
- 6 cups stock
- 1 cup grated gruyere or parmesan cheese optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon tellicherry pepper
Instructions
For the Soup
- Bring the cannelloni and cranberry beans to a boil and skim foam off top. Simmer and cook for about 2 hours until the beans are tender. Alternatively, you can use canned beans and skip this step.
- Dice the zucchini and the potatoes into a small dice (1.5 inches) and add to the pot with the beans. Add green beans as well and the vegetable stock, peas, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the zucchini disintegrates (about an hour). Mash a few pieces of zucchini and potatoes against the side of the pot for thickness. Add macaroni, taste and season.
For the Pesto
- In a food processor: peel and seed tomatoes and blend into a sauce. Set aside, and rinse out the processor bowl.
- Add roughly chopped garlic, basil, and olive oil. Blend until smooth, then add the tomatoes and blend again.
- Before serving, the soup, stir in the pesto into the soup pot.
- If desired, serve with parmesan or gruyere cheese at the table.
Notes
Save Money on Organic Produce!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! If you think organic produce is too expensive... think again, and give Misfits Market a look!Nutrition
Or tag me @theherbeevore in your photo on Instagram!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Herbeevore and our beehives!