Pesto Potato Soup

🧂 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

  (see note below)
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour

  or use regular flour
• 1 qt. half-and-half
• 1 medium onion

  chopped
• 1 leek

  green top removed, thoroughly washed and sliced
• 1 red bell pepper

  chopped
• 2 large carrots

  peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 ribs celery

  diced
• 2/3 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt

  or more, to taste
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

  or more, to taste
• 4 slices bacon

  crisp fried, broken into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp. fresh basil

  for garnish
• 1/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

  shredded, for garnish
• 2.5 lbs. red potatoes

  chunked (unpeeled
• 10 oz. jar pesto sauce
• 1 cup parmesan cheese

  shredded

Instructions

• 1 Prepare Pesto Red Potatoes.
• 2 Wash and cube 2 ½ lbs. red potatoes; place in a medium mixing bowl.
• 3 Add an 8-oz. jar basil pesto and stir to combine.
• 4 Spread onto a greased cookie sheet or large baking dish sprayed with olive oil
  cooking spray.
• 5 Sprinkle one cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese over top.
• 6 Cover with foil.
• 7 Bake at 350° for about 35-45 minutes or until potatoes test done with a fork.
• 8 Set aside until ready to use in recipe below.
• 9 While potatoes are baking, fry bacon.
• 10 Set aside.
• 11 In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.
• 12 Add onion, leek, red bell pepper, carrots and celery.
• 13 Season generously with salt and pepper.
• 14 Sauté about 5-10 minutes until veggies are tender and a fork pierces through the
  carrot slices easily.
• 15 You can also cover the ingredients with a lid to speed up the process a little.
• 16 Stir in flour.
• 17 Slowly add half-and-half a few tablespoons at a time and whisk until each
  addition is fully incorporated.
• 18 Reduce heat and allow sauce to thicken, about 5-10 minutes.
• 19 Stir in Pesto Red Potatoes.
• 20 Check seasoning.
• 21 Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• 22 Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with bacon pieces, shredded parmesan cheese
  and fresh basil, as desired.

Nutrition Info