Soupe au Pistou
A classic French soup from the Provençale region that's made with fresh veggies and beans that's packed with flavor from the herby pistou.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
PISTOU INGREDIENTS**
- 4 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
SOUP INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 lb small short pasta (like small shells, elbows, etc)
- 2 leeks, rinsed and thinly sliced
- 2 15-oz cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
- 3 cups zucchini, diced
- 12 oz fresh green beans, sliced in halves or thirds
- 1-2 tbsp salt (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper (or more to taste)
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- homemade pistou, to taste (see recipe above)
Instructions
PISTOU INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine rosemary, basil, onion powder, tomato paste, grated cheese, and salt in a small food processor. Blitz ingredients until pulverized, then slowly drizzle in the ¼ cup olive oil until a paste forms.
- Scoop the pistou into a small bowl and set aside.
SOUPE AU PISTOU PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook and drain pasta according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Rinse and slice the leeks: cut leeks lengthwise in half, fan out the halves under running water to rinse out any sand. Then thinly slice halved leeks.
- Drain and rinse the canned cannellini beans, then set aside.
- Slice the carrots and set aside.
- Dice zucchini and cut string beans, then set aside.
SOUPE AU PISTOU COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Stir the leeks and carrots into the oil. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir the zucchini and greens beans into the pot. Cover and cook 5-7 minutes, until zucchini and green beans are slightly softened but still vibrant in color.
- Add salt, ground pepper, cannellini beans, and broth to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil, then let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Taste and add any seasonings to your taste.
- To serve Soupe au Pistou: spoon some cooked pasta into a bowl, then ladle the soup, veggies, and beans on top. Stir in a tablespoon (or more!) of pistou. Keep pistou nearby since you might want to add more while you eat.
Notes
**Traditional pistou calls for garlic, so feel free to drop a peeled clove or two into your food processor before you whip up your ingredients.