Soupe Au Pistou Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pesto
Transport your taste buds to the sunny south of France with Soupe Au Pistou, a traditional Provençal vegetable soup crowned with a vibrant homemade basil pesto. Bursting with garden-fresh ingredients like zucchini, green beans, carrots, and tomatoes, this hearty yet light soup is a celebration of wholesome Mediterranean flavors. A blend of small pasta and creamy white beans adds substance, while the pistou—a fragrant mixture of basil, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil—delivers an irresistible finishing touch. Ready in just over an hour, this warm and comforting recipe is perfect as a nutritious weeknight dinner or an inviting starter for a dinner party. Serve it hot with a crusty baguette on the side for the ultimate Provençal dining experience.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large, diced yellow onion
- 1 large, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only) leek
- 2 chopped celery stalks
- 2 medium, diced carrots
- 2 medium, diced zucchini
- 150 grams, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces green beans
- 1 large, peeled and diced potato
- 4 medium, peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 150 grams small pasta (e.g., elbow, ditalini, or vermicelli)
- 400 grams, drained and rinsed cooked white beans (e.g., cannellini or navy beans)
- 1 teaspoon (or to taste) salt
- 0.5 teaspoon (or to taste) black pepper
- 1 cup, loosely packed (for pistou) basil leaves
- 2 large, minced (for pistou) garlic cloves
- 0.5 cup, finely grated (for pistou) parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons (for pistou) olive oil
- 0.25 teaspoon (for pistou) salt
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion, leek, celery, and carrots, and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened but not browned.
Stir in the diced zucchini, green beans, and potato, and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and the vegetable broth to the pot, and bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat, cover, and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
While the soup is simmering, prepare the pistou by blending the basil leaves, minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle until smooth.
After the vegetables in the soup have softened, add the small pasta to the pot and simmer for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
Stir in the cooked white beans, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Allow the soup to heat through for 2-3 minutes.
Serve the soup hot in bowls, and top each serving with a dollop of pistou. Optionally, sprinkle some extra grated parmesan cheese on top.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3657 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 139.7 g | 179% | |
| Saturated Fat | 31.4 g | 157% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 19.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 56 mg | 19% | |
| Sodium | 10499 mg | 456% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 495.9 g | 180% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 87.5 g | 312% | |
| Total Sugars | 110.5 g | ||
| Protein | 123.8 g | 248% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 1575 mg | 121% | |
| Iron | 31.4 mg | 174% | |
| Potassium | 11049 mg | 235% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
