There are little lucid dishes that, no matter how well we illuminate and decorate the scene when photographing, are what they are. Nor do they need to, because the most important thing is the taste and how comforting they are when we put them in the body. This is precisely what happens with the Italian vegetable, rice and pesto soup.
Perfect example of basic home cooking, this is a humble and comforting preparation. The combination of vegetables, rice, cheese and pesto results in a soup full of color, flavor and textures. A dish designed to adapt to any time of the year (yes, we can also enjoy it in summer – just adjust the serving temperature).
It is substantial, consistent and comforting, in addition to being versatile. We can substitute the rice for quinoa, pasta or legume and use the vegetables that we find in the market (or in the fridge). It is not necessary to use broth to enhance the flavor, that is already taken care of by the touch of pesto and cheese that we add at the end.
We peel and wash the leeks, removing the dirt debris. We cut them lengthwise, in half, and then into strips. We also peel, wash and cut the carrots and celery into thin slices.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the vegetables, starting with the leek. When it looks soft, add the carrot and celery and cook for another five minutes.
Next we add the water and, when it starts to boil, we add the rice. Salt to taste and cook over low heat 20 minutes or until rice is tender. We serve the soup piping hot with a teaspoon of pesto and grated Parmesan cheese on the surface.
With what to accompany the Italian soup of vegetables, rice and pesto
Little accompaniment needs this Italian vegetable, rice and pesto soup to leave us satisfied, as it is well loaded as standard. What we do suggest is to get a good bread – better if it is homemade – to dip in the broth and close the meal with a piece of fruit or, why not, with a special dessert.
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