This vibrant green soup is built from simple, wholesome ingredients and layered with bright, satisfying flavours. It’s light, quick to prepare and makes a great weeknight dinner or a relaxed weekend lunch. Serve with crusty bread for a comforting meal.
After a stretch of hearty pasta dishes, this green soup offers something lighter without skimping on flavour. It features a classic soffritto base — finely chopped carrot, celery and onion — plus stock, bright greens and a generous spoonful of pesto. The pesto gives the soup its fresh herb character, so if possible use a good homemade pesto for best results.
The recipe is forgiving: bok choy (brassica rapa) is my choice here because it provides tender leaves and crisp stalks, but you can substitute spinach, kale, cabbage or any sturdy greens you prefer. Cannellini beans add creaminess and protein without heaviness, making this a well-rounded, nutritious bowl.
How To Make Green Soup With Pesto, Greens & Beans – Step By Step
1. Finely chop carrot, celery and onion. Heat olive oil in a large pot and gently sauté the vegetables for 6–7 minutes until softened but not browned.
2. Add chicken or vegetable stock and bring the pot to a boil.
3. Once the stock is boiling, add the greens and reduce to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for 10 minutes so the greens soften and release their flavour into the broth.
4. Stir in pre-cooked cannellini beans and about half a cup of pesto, folding it into the stock so it disperses evenly. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 10 minutes to meld the flavours.
5. Serve hot with an extra grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of grated parmesan if desired. A slice of crusty bread makes this a satisfying meal.
More Simple Soup Recipes To Try
- Tuscan farro soup with beans
- Chickpea soup
- Comforting zucchini potato soup
- Pappa al pomodoro — tomato bread soup
- Roasted vegetable soup
If you try this green soup, please leave a comment to share how it turned out and any variations you used. I enjoy hearing which substitutions become favourites in your kitchen.
Vibrant Green Soup Recipe
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins | Total: 30 mins | Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 onion (yellow or white), finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cup (280g) cannellini beans, pre-cooked (canned or cooked from dry)
- 1/2 cup homemade pesto (see notes)
- 8 cup (4 litres) chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 brassica rapa (bok choy), cut into thin strips — or 80g chopped spinach, kale or cabbage
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Parmesan for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the chopped vegetables until soft but not browned, about 6–7 minutes.
- Add the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the bok choy (or greens of your choice) and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the greens are tender.
- Add the pre-cooked cannellini beans and the homemade pesto. Stir well to emulsify the pesto into the stock. Season with a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Simmer for another 10 minutes to let flavours marry. Serve with extra pepper and grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Homemade pesto is recommended for the best flavour. Store-bought pesto will work, but fresh pesto brightens the soup significantly.
- Bok choy can be replaced with spinach, kale, cabbage or other greens. If using tender greens like spinach, add them at the same time as the beans and pesto so they wilt but remain bright.
- If substituting bok choy with spinach or kale, use roughly 80g (2.8 oz) chopped greens.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2–3 days. Reheat gently to avoid overcooking the greens.
Nutrition (per serving, approximate)
Calories: 207 kcal | Carbohydrates: 18 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 11 g | Fiber: 4 g | Sodium: 497 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I usually use extra virgin olive oil in my recipes unless stated otherwise.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless noted.
- Recipes are developed and tested using a convection (fan) oven where applicable.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste, especially if your stock is salty.