Winter Vegetable Bean Soup with Pesto

Swanson

2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)

1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)

2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)

5-1/4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Pesto

The noble turnip.

Heat the carrots, potato, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 ¾ cup broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.

This is a lot of choppin.' If you have some aggressive energy to get out, this is certainly the recipe for you!

Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. 

Contentedly stewing away!

Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the pesto.

The pesto is a magnificent accent to this. 

My Rating: 4/5 "I expected this to be bland and boring. It was anything but. Especially with the addition of the pesto, and especially especially with leeks (which I adore) this has a really pleasant nuanced flavor that I enjoyed even in the leftovers. It's pleasant on the tongue and on the digestive system - wins all around."