End of Summer Soup
The summer gardens are winding down, I guess they should be it is the first day of fall. This time of year I pick a few tomatoes, a handful of green beans, maybe a zucchini or summer squash, a little of this and a little of that. I created this “end of summer” soup for just that reason; it uses a handful of this and that. The basil is still going crazy and this soup is delicious with pesto stirred in. Believe me you will get just how wonderful pesto is when it’s stirred into hot soup. The aroma it releases makes your mouth water and the taste is pure summer. I like a lot of pesto stirred into mine, my husband just likes some, well probably a normal amount. I’m a little excessive when it comes to pesto. This can easily be made vegetarian style, just use vegetable broth and omit the sausage, it is just as yummy.
End of Summer Soup
2 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot diced (1 cup)
2 stalks celery diced (1 ½ cup)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 zucchini (yellow squash or patty pan) chopped (2 cups)
1 peeled potato cut in ½” cubes (1 cup)
7 ounces thin green beans, 2” pieces
2 cups chopped Italian tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 dried cayenne
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste
15 ounce can Great Northern or cannellini beans drained and rinsed
3 ½ ounces angel hair or thin spaghetti broken
1 ½ cups chopped grilled Italian sausage
Basil Pesto*
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the onions, carrot and celery (I like to use the inner stalks with the leaves) and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, zucchini, potato and green beans; sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes. You can see in the picture I used patty pan squash in place of the zucchini, it sorta is the same color as the potatoes. Zucchini does add another dash of color.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, cayenne and sauté for 2-3 minutes longer. Pour in the broth with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Stir well, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans and break pasta into about 2” pieces and add it to the soup along with the sausage. Simmer, stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Note: if making ahead of time: add beans, pasta and sausage and turn off heat. The pasta will cook as it cools; stir. When cool enough to handle put in refrigerator until needed. Reheat soup until hot, add more broth if needed.
See how green the soup is? Told ya I liked a lot of pesto!
Remove the bay leaf and cayenne pepper before serving. Serve hot in soup bowls, top with a teaspoon or tablespoon (I like a lot) of pesto, a drizzle of olive oil and a grating of Parmesan cheese if you like. Pass the bowl of pesto at the table and add more to your likening.
This soup is perfect to make ahead of time and I think soup always tastes better the next day. Enjoy it for lunch on the porch or for dinner with a loaf of some great bread.
*Pesto recipe can be found in the Basil/Pesto under the Herbs category.
