Join us online for KindSoup for Students as we make a Vegetable Soup with Pesto (based on this recipe from Once Upon a Chef). After completing your soup, and sharing some with your family, freeze and label the rest for donation, then drop off at one of our participating food assistance providers.
Students can earn 1 Student Service Learning Hour for every 2 quarts of frozen soup made with the group and delivered to others. There is a maximum of 8 quarts that can qualify for any given day (4 hours). Most recipes render at least 6 quarts of soup, 3 SSL hours.
In order to receive SSL Hours
- take a picture during preparation and at delivery
- report on where you shared your KindSoup
- Complete this SSL Form
Vegetable Soup with Pesto
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 small yellow onions, chopped
- 6 carrots, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 6 celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 bay leaves
- 2 cup orzo
- 3 small zucchini, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 3 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup pesto
- Some Parmesan cheese for grating over soup
NOTE: Chop the vegetables before the Zoom session starts. This is the most time-consuming part of the recipe.
Soup Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent and the vegetables are partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Do not brown; lower the heat if necessary. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes more.
- Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper and bay leaves and bring to a gentle boil. Add the orzo, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and frozen peas. Adjust the heat to bring back to a simmer and cook until the orzo is al dente and the vegetables are all tender-crisp, about 2 minutes more. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (keep in mind that the soup will taste a bit bland before the pesto and Parmigiano-Reggiano are added).
- Garnish with a heaping tablespoon of pesto and grated Parmesan cheese while serving the soup.
Health and Safety Information
In order to protect the the quality of our KindSoup program, we ask that volunteers conscientiously observe the following guidelines:
- Start with clean hands and wash again frequently as needed throughout the cooking process.
- Start with clean kitchen surfaces and utensils (antibacterial wipes do a great job).
- Keep longer hair tied back.
- Follow other common sense procedures, such as never returning a tasting spoon to the pot!
Thank you for maintaining a high cleanliness standard for our KindSoup donations!
STUDENTS:
Prior to our Sunday, January 18th cooking session:
- Confirm your participation by signing up at the bottom of this page
- Gather your ingredients
- Make sure that you have either a Soup Pot large enough to hold all of this soup, or two smaller ones that will together hold it all
- Have 6 quart sized plastic soup containers with tight fitting lids (ask your neighbors if you could have theirs rather than them recycling them – they will be thrilled)
Have all of your ingredients and cooking tools out and ready for when you sign on to our zoom at 5pm. (long hair should be tied back, and everyone should start with freshly washed hands and gloves if you have them) You can start peeling and chopping your veggies while you wait for us to begin.
Everyone’s first name should identify them on our zoom screen please.
See you soon!!
How to Donate Your KindSoup
Seal containers with a tight lid and freeze. Label each container with: date prepared, your first name and last initial, “Vegetable Soup with Pesto” and any relevant food allergy info (which we will discuss on the call). As soon as is convenient, drop containers of frozen soup off at one of the following participating food assistance providers, and can give one quart away also to a person or family that is in your heart and/or going through a difficult time. You will report all KindSoups that you shared – with to the food assistance organization, or to those people whom you know.
- Rainbow Community Development Center 12120 Tech Road, Silver Spring (this takes you to the rear parking lot and loading dock – there is usually a large RAINBOW truck parked here): Drop-off Monday-Friday 9am-2pm. NOTE: If you go during Rainbow’s food distributions on Tuesdays/Thursdays from 9am-noon, you may see a long line of cars – you can drive past the cars to drop off your KindSoup. If you go at other times and the garage or back door is not open, call or text Anna on her personal cell at 301-852-4184 (if she doesn’t answer, leave a message and she should get back within a few minutes, or try calling the Rainbow Pantry cellphone: 240-639-2293).
- So What Else 4924 Wyaconda Road, Rockville, 240-705-4345. (Look for the Dogtopia. Drive straight past Doptopia to get to our parking lot. The entrance will be on the right hand side as you pull into the parking lot. After you park, walk up to the glass door at the bottom of the black ramp, ring the doorbell, let the team know you’ve arrived to drop off KindSoups): Drop-off Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm and Saturdays 7am-12pm.
- Upcounty Consolidation Hub 12900 Middlebrook Rd., Germantown (supporting 1,000 families with food and other supports). Drop off Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Fridays 8 am-4:30 pm.
- Embry Rucker Shelter 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, 703-437-1975. Leave donations on the table around the back. Drop off anytime!
Here are some options for donating outside the DC area:
- NYC Community Fridges located throughout New York City.
- Bread and Roses 58 Newbury St., Lawrence, Mass., 978-681-8768. Drop off Mondays-Thursdays, 10 am-4 pm.
- The Bristol Lodge 27 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass., 781-893-0108. Drop off Mondays-Fridays, 9am-6pm.
- Community Refrigerators located in Los Angeles
See you in the KindSoup kitchen!
Learn more about this KindWorks program
Online KindSoup for Students
Date: January 18, 2026
