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Vegetarian, European

Kesäkeitto, Finnish summer vegetable soup

Kesäkeitto is a Finnish summer soup made with milk, new potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and peas. It serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is very easy, and costs about €2.00 per serving. The trick is adding the peas right at the end so they keep their color and bite.

Tonight we're setting the clock to Finnish time with a kesäkeitto, a gentle summer soup, made with milk, full of young vegetables, served with bread.

Kesäkeitto, Finnish summer vegetable soup
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Kesäkeitto is the soup Finns make as soon as the first young vegetables show up at the market. The milk softens everything, the vegetables keep some bite, and the dill adds a fresh note you won't find in a plain broth. Nothing gets mashed or blended, so you taste every vegetable as its own tender piece.

It's an easy weeknight soup, ready in 40 minutes with vegetables you likely already have in the fridge. Kids tend to like it because it's mild and not too seasoned, and it works just as well on a quiet Sunday evening after a heavier lunch.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • New potatoes 400 g
  • Carrots 3
  • Cauliflower 300 g
  • Green beans 150 g
  • Dill 6 sprigs

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 150 g

Dairy

  • Milk 75 cl
  • Butter 30 g

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Rye bread 4 slices

Allergens Lactose, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the new potatoes and carrots, cut them into small cubes along with the cauliflower, cut into small florets.

    Keep the cubes small and even for a soup that's pleasant to eat.

  2. Cook them in salted water with the chopped green beans. 15 min

    Add the carrots and potatoes first, since they take longer to cook.

  3. Melt the butter, stir in the flour, then whisk in the warm milk little by little. 5 min

    Whisk constantly at the start to avoid lumps.

  4. Pour the sauce over the vegetables with a bit of the cooking water, add the peas, and let it simmer gently. 8 min

    Keep some cooking water aside to adjust the texture.

  5. Season with salt and pepper, add the chopped dill, and serve with the rye bread.

    A little fresh dill on top gives it a summery scent.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut all the vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook evenly and every spoonful gets a bit of everything.
  • Pour the milk in warm, not cold, over the butter and flour mixture, it prevents lumps and thickens the soup faster.
  • Always keep a little vegetable cooking water on hand, it loosens the soup if it thickens too much as it cools.

The variations

  • Swap the green beans for fresh shelled peas when they're in season, the soup will taste even more like summer.
  • For a dairy free version, use an oat based cream and a plant based butter, the result stays just as creamy.
  • To save time, cut the vegetables into bigger pieces and skip the sauce step, just stir in a little warm milk at the end instead.

What to serve it with

  • Fresh rye bread
  • Plain yogurt or quark
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

Kesäkeitto keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze especially well because the milk can separate once thawed. Reheat it gently over low heat, stirring, without letting it boil.

Questions about this dish

Can you make kesäkeitto ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the vegetables and the sauce ahead and combine them just before serving. Add the peas and dill only when reheating so they stay fresh and bright.

Can you swap out the cauliflower?

Yes, you can use broccoli or young turnips instead without changing anything else in the recipe. The soup will stay mild and light, just with a different color.

Why add the milk gradually to the sauce?

Adding the milk little by little while whisking prevents lumps and lets the flour dissolve smoothly. It's the classic way to get a silky sauce.

Do kids usually like this soup?

Yes, kesäkeitto is mild, lightly salted, and not strongly seasoned, which generally appeals to kids. The vegetable pieces stay small and easy to eat with a spoon.

How long does it take to make a kesäkeitto, Finnish summer vegetable soup, with bread?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a kesäkeitto, Finnish summer vegetable soup, with bread?

About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a kesäkeitto, Finnish summer vegetable soup, with bread cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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