Carrot Soup with Pea Pesto

Soup isn't just for the winter months. When the weather is warm, there can be nothing more refreshing than a bright, vibrant soup, laced with plenty of spring vegetables. Our Carrot Soup with Pea Pesto is versatile enough to serve as a starter for an al fresco dinner party or a simple, yet elegant spring supper. A swirl of pesto and heavy whipping cream turn the top of this soup into a true work of art. Complex and so satisfying, this soup will be on repeat all spring long.

Roasted carrots and garlic form the base for this bright orange soup, fortified by vegetable stock and warmed with spices like cloves and cumin. Allowing the carrots to brown and near the point of charring adds a delightful bitterness that you can't achieve any other way. This vegetarian soup is brightened up at the end with sherry vinegar for acid, maple syrup for sweetness, and cream and butter for a touch of richness.

While the soup is full of dynamic flavor on its own, we wanted to turn it into something truly special by adding a dollop of homemade pea pesto on top. The sweet peas and the nutty Parmesan create an utterly unique pesto. If your carrots come with carrot tops, use 1 cup of packed carrot tops (woody stems removed) and blend them in with the pesto. The pesto makes two cups, so you will have a good bit leftover; it would be great on pasta, toast with cheese, pizza, eggs, so many things. Put in a jar and save for up to a week or freeze for a later use.