Finnish Summer Vegetable Soup (Print)
A light, creamy Finnish soup featuring fresh summer vegetables in a delicate milk broth with dill.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 3 cups new potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
04 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
06 - 1 small leek, white and light green part only, sliced
07 - 1 small bunch radishes, sliced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
→ Broth and Dairy
09 - 4 cups water or vegetable broth
10 - 1 cup whole milk
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Thickening
13 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
→ Seasoning
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring water or vegetable broth to a gentle boil in a large pot. Add potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower. Simmer for 8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add green beans, peas, leek, and radishes. Cook for 7-8 minutes longer until all vegetables are just tender. Avoid overcooking to maintain texture.
03 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a smooth roux and remove raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually whisk milk into the roux, stirring continuously until mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Ensure no lumps remain.
05 - Pour milk mixture and cream into the soup pot. Stir gently to incorporate. Heat through thoroughly without bringing to a boil to prevent dairy separation.
06 - Season with salt and white pepper. Stir in chopped dill just before serving to preserve fresh flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with additional fresh dill if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It transforms ordinary garden vegetables into something elegant and comforting without any complicated techniques
- The combination of creamy broth and crisp, tender vegetables feels like sunshine in a bowl
- This soup comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
- Never let the soup boil after adding the dairy or it might separate and become grainy
- The vegetables should be tender but still have some bite, mushy vegetables ruin the delicate balance
- White pepper is traditional because black specks would mar the beautiful pale color
03 -
- Cut all vegetables into bite sized pieces so every spoonful contains a little bit of everything
- Stir the dill in at the very end, cooking it makes the flavor fade away too quickly