Finnish Summer Vegetable Soup (Printable)
Light creamy Finnish soup with potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and fresh summer vegetables in a delicate dairy broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fresh 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 and Seasoning
13 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
# Directions:
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 - Stir in green beans, peas, leek, and radishes. 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. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a smooth roux.
04 - Gradually whisk milk into the roux, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and becomes smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Pour milk mixture and cream into the soup pot. Stir gently to combine and heat through without boiling to prevent dairy from separating.
06 - Season with salt and white pepper. Stir in chopped fresh dill just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with additional fresh dill if desired. Serve immediately with rye bread or crispbread.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The creaminess comes without heaviness, making it that rare summer soup that never weighs you down
- Every spoonful captures the exact taste of a garden in full bloom
- It comes together in under an hour but tastes like something simmered all day
02 -
- I once boiled the soup after adding the cream and the dairy separated, turning my beautiful bowl into a disappointing mess
- Letting vegetables cook beyond tender means theyll start falling apart, losing their individual textures
03 -
- Cut all vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook evenly and no single ingredient dominates
- Taste the soup before adding salt—different broths have wildly different sodium levels