Finnish Summer Soup

Known in Finland as kesäkeitto, this is the soup that announces summer at midsummer Juhannus tables across Scandinavia. It uses the very first tender vegetables of the season: new potatoes, baby carrots, fresh peas, slim green beans, and small onions. The broth is barely there, just water, butter, and a finish of half-and-half thickened lightly with flour.

The whole point is to let the vegetables taste like themselves. There’s no stock, no garlic, no herbs to hide behind. That means the vegetables have to be young and fresh. Frozen peas work in a pinch but defeat the spirit of the dish.

The staggered cook is key. Potatoes go in first because they take longest, then carrots, beans, and onions, and finally peas at the end so they stay sweet and pop-bright. Dumping everything in at once turns half of it to mush.

The flour-and-cream slurry at the end is the Finnish touch. It thickens just enough to coat the vegetables without turning chowder-thick.

Kitchen Tips

• Use waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold, red, or fingerlings). Russets will fall apart and cloud the broth.
• Add a small handful of fresh dill at the end. It’s the most common Finnish addition and elevates the herbal notes.
• White pepper, not black, keeps the broth visually clean. The recipe is correct on this; don’t substitute.
• A spoonful of fresh fish (perch or salmon) traditionally goes in at the end in some regions. Optional but lovely.

Variations

• Add a cup of fresh corn kernels with the peas for a sweeter, more North American spin.
• Substitute oat cream for the half-and-half to make it dairy-free (Finns love their oat milk).
• Stir in a handful of baby spinach or sorrel at the end for a peppery edge.