Purple Pesto Soup
And this potentially addictive soup is what I came up with. It's warm and creamy but somehow tastes like summer. And it's purple! Who could ask for more on a chilly day in November?
Purple Pesto Soup
Obviously, it's purple because of the variety of basil I used, but it would be just as delicious with regular basil.
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups hot water
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups (or 1 15-ounce can) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup purple basil leaves, firmly packed (or use green)
1 tablespoon cashew butter (or try almond butter or tahini) *
white pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
additional garlic, to taste
Sauté the onion in a non-stick pan until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute more. Add the hot water and cauliflower, reduce heat, and cover. Cook until the cauliflower is completely tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Add the beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the basil and cashew butter. Use a hand blender to puree the soup until it is completely smooth. (Alternately, put the soup in batches into a regular blender and blend smooth; return soup to the pot.) Add white pepper and salt to taste and add additional garlic if desired.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 154 Calories (kcal); 3 g Total Fat; (14% calories from fat); 10 g Protein; 26 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 54 mg Sodium; 9 g Fiber
*Note: The cashew butter contributes a lot to the creaminess and the flavor, but leave it out if you prefer your soup to be lower in fat.
Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free Eat to Live
Labels: eat to live, gluten-free
posted by SusanV at 3:48 PM
15 Comments:
I have just started to read your blog. I am a vegetarian but I cook a lot of vegan meals. I was wondering how do I freeze my basil? Thanks. You can email me back at laquetha@gmail.com
Thanks
LaQuetha
This sounds wonderful! Unfortunately, we've gotten more than a "cold snap" in Pa and my basil is done for this year. I suppose I could grab some at the grocery store, but it's just not the same... :) The color of your soup is magnificent! Definitely a good conversation starter for company.
This sounds really delicious, expecially with the cashew butter! I'll be leaving thatingredient in and dealing with the little bit of added fat!! :) I like the 10 g of protein too! :) Sounds like a wonderful recipe and I will definitely be making this soup!
LaQuetha, basically you just wash the basil leaves and blend them with a little water in a food processor--just enough water to aid in chopping. Freeze the chopped leaves in ice cube trays, and when they are frozen completly solid, transfer them to freezer bags. These basil cubes add wonderful, fresh flavor to soups and stews if you add them at the end of cooking.
Jesska, I feel very lucky to have kept my basil this long. Last night was our coldest this season, yet the basil is still going strong. I may try to keep it over the winter in my greenhouse, if I have space.
Candi, the cashew butter really makes the recipe, in my opinion. I meant to add nutritional yeast but forgot, so for anyone who wants to skip the nut butter, try adding a little nutritional yeast instead.
I had the soup again for lunch today, and this time I used it to top a baked potato. It was wonderful! It's a good thing I like this stuff because my family isn't eating it--the color really scared them off! (In his defense, my husband's feeling sick, so I can't blame him for getting queasy at the sight of purple soup.)
Gorgeous photo - love the purple basil leaves. One thing is for sure, next summer I have to plant more basil.... much, much, more.
Purple Pesto- How Fun! I've never seen purple basil, and now I won't be satisfied until I meet this wonderful thing. I'm glad you saved the basil from the cold weather, because it would be a travesty for it to go to waste. Would you believe that I planted basil in my garden at home this summer, but left before I could enjoy it. My mom said that it grew like crazy, but they ended up throwing it away because they didn't know what to do with it. I was so upset with her!!!
Anyways, I'm looking forward to making this and might try it on a potato as you mentioned.
-Teresa
Beautiful photo, as always. Another reason to pick up basil at the farmers' market tomorrow. Already needed some for your "oven roasted tomato bean spread." The soup reads like perfect comfort food.
Wow! Does this ever look delicious!!! You're a genius! :)
I have tons of basil at the moment due to it being summer here so must try the soup (I drink soup all year round as it's so easy to have when I am surfing).
Just beautiful! And unique. You rock, Susan!
your purple basil is gorgeous. I'm so used to seeing the green kind, it's a nice change
is the taste any different?
teddy
Teddy, there may be some subtle differences between green and purple basil, but when they're added to recipes, I can't tell them apart...except by looking.
Could you freeze Italian flat-leaf parsley the same way you freeze the basil? I thought I needed it for a recipe, and bought it, but it turns out I didn't. Thanks!
Hi ~M, sure--this freezing method should work for most herbs. For parsley, I just chop it and freeze it in freezer bags.
Oh. Wow. I just want to say, that because of your blog, I've been cooking like never before. Your recipes are terrific.
This soup is so amazing, In fact I'm eating it right this minute. I threw some garlic powder in there, just because, and bam. Blowing my mind. It's the fifth or sixth thing i've made from your recipes. You never steer me wrong.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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