Zucchini & Yellow Squash Vegetable Pesto Soup

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 sprigs parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 1/2 cups diced celery (small dice, with or without leaves)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 8 ounces button mushrooms or 2 cups button mushrooms, wiped clean, stemmed, and quartered
• 4 quarts beef stock or 4 quarts chicken stock or 4 quarts vegetable stock or 4 quarts canned low sodium beef broth or 4 quarts low sodium chicken broth or 4 quarts low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups diced zucchini (large dice)
• 2 cups diced yellow squash (large dice)
• 2 tablespoons pesto sauce

Recipe

• 1 heat the olive oil in a 6-quart (or larger) soup pot over high heat.
• 2 add the onions, carrots, celery, and the parsley bundle, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• 3 add the garlic and mushrooms, and cook for 3 minutes.
• 4 add the broth, salt, and pepper.
• 5 cover the pot and bring to a boil. remove the cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 12 minutes.
• 6 add the broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, and spinach to the soup. simmer for 15 minutes.