Soupe au Pistou, the Provençal Vegetable Soup with Pesto
Provençal soupe au pistou: a summer soup of vegetables, beans and pasta, finished at the last minute with pistou made of basil, garlic and oil. The great summer dish of the South of France.
Looking for the great dish of the Provençal summer, the one that smells of basil and garlic and brings everyone together at the table?
Then soupe au pistou is exactly what you want. Let me walk you through it step by step: a soup of vegetables, beans and small pasta, simmered gently and then perfumed at the very end with pistou, the Provençal cousin of pesto, made of basil, garlic, oil and cheese, without pine nuts.
The beauty of this recipe lies in the contrast. The vegetables cook slowly in plain water until they turn sweet and tender, while the pistou brings a fresh, pungent note that wakes the whole dish up. That is why it is never cooked into the soup but stirred in at the end, off the heat.
There are at least three reasons to love soupe au pistou. It is budget-friendly and makes the most of summer garden vegetables. It is a complete meal thanks to the beans and pasta. And it is perfect to prepare ahead for a crowd.
One practical trick: if you have a mortar, pound the garlic and basil with a pinch of salt before adding the oil, so the pistou stays creamy. A good homemade pesto works just as well.
In summer it is delicious even served warm, and it keeps for two days in the fridge. In that case, add the fresh pistou only at serving time, never before.
Ready? Let’s start with the recipe for soupe au pistou.
Base preparations used
Steps
- Dice the courgettes, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes; trim and snap the green beans; slice the onion.
- In a large pot, soften the onion in the oil, add the diced vegetables, the green beans and the white beans, then cover with water (about 2.5 litres).
- Season with salt, bring to a boil and cook uncovered over a medium heat for about 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Make the pistou by pounding the garlic and basil in a mortar to a paste, then work in the Parmesan and a thin stream of oil (or use a good pesto instead).
- When 10 minutes remain, add the pasta and cook it in the soup. Off the heat, stir in the pistou and serve, leaving the rest on the side.
Helpful tips
Always add the pistou off the heat: too much heat ruins its fragrance.
If you do not have a mortar, use a good homemade pesto: the result is excellent.
With fresh beans, when in season, the soup is even better.
Lovely served warm in summer; it keeps for 2 days in the fridge, so add fresh pistou just before serving.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 38.0 g
- Sugars
- 6.0 g
- Protein
- 11.0 g
- Fat
- 10.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.5 g
- Fiber
- 8.0 g
- Sodium
- 420 mg
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