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Recipe - Green Goodness Veggie Soup with Pistou

by Erica Green

NOTE: Print this Page for easy reference when cooking.

 
This recipe just goes to show that it is possible to take nutrient packed green vegetables and make a tasty creamy soup that is suitable for vegans.  The creaminess in this dish does not come from adding dairy, but rather the recipe has borrowed from the properties that arborio rice brings to risotto. 

Please don't be tempted to skip the pistou as "just a garnish".  It is an integral part of the flavour profile, contrasting freshness against the creaminess of the soup.

 
Ingredients

Serves 4-6

Soup

• 1 Tbsp. light olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup arborio rice
• 5 cups water
• 3 Tsp. chicken flavoured stock powder
• 300g broccoli, roughly chopped
• 300g frozen peas
• 60g baby spinach leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Pistou

• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1-2 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch salt

Method

• Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan, add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the water and chicken stock powder to the pan and bring it to the boil.
• Add the rice to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes,
• Add the broccoli and peas and allow the water to come back to a slow simmer.  Simmer gently for 10 minutes or until vegetables are just cooked.
• Add the spinach and allow to wilt.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Blitz the soup with a stick blender until very smooth. Add a little extra water if needed to get the consistency that you want.
• Combine the pistou ingredients.
• Serve the soup topped with a dollop of pistou.

About the Recipe

• This recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
• Massel make a range of vegan stocks and stock powders which are flavoured to be similar to chicken or beef stock. You can also get low salt varieties if that is an issue for you. They are a staple item in my pantry.
• You may like to switch up the herbs, adding some basil or mint to the parsley in the pistou.   Just be careful though as both mint and basil will turn brown quite quickly, so will need to be made just before service.
• Pistou is a French cousin to the famous Italian pesto sauce.  Pistou consists mainly of green herbs, garlic, and oil, whereas Italian pesto also includes pine nuts and cheese in its main ingredients.  Because of this,  pistou is a better solution for vegans.
• If you are reheating this soup, you may need to add a touch of extra water as the soup does thickens as it cools

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