Finnish Kesäkeitto Summer Vegetable Soup (Printable)

Light, creamy Finnish soup with fresh summer vegetables in a delicate milk broth, ready in 40 minutes.

# 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 peas 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

# Steps:

01 - Bring water or vegetable broth to a gentle boil in a large pot. Add diced potatoes, sliced carrots, and cauliflower florets. Simmer for 8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add green beans, peas, leek, and sliced radishes to the pot. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes longer until all vegetables are tender but not mushy.
03 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste and remove raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually whisk milk into the roux mixture, continuing to stir until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth. Remove from heat once thickened.
05 - Pour the milk mixture and heavy cream into the soup pot. Stir gently to incorporate fully. Heat through without boiling to prevent dairy from separating.
06 - Season the soup with salt and white pepper to taste. Stir in chopped fresh dill just before serving to preserve its bright flavor.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, garnished with additional fresh dill sprigs if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of fresh vegetables and creamy broth creates an incredibly comforting yet light soup
  • Its one of those rare dishes that actually tastes better when made with whatever vegetables look freshest at the market
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil after adding the dairy or it may separate and become grainy
  • The vegetables should be slightly underdone before adding the cream because theyll continue cooking in the hot liquid
03 -
  • Use the freshest dill you can find, as dried dill has none of the bright, aromatic personality this soup requires
  • Let the soup rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving to allow the flavors to marry

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