The Minimalist’s Soupe au Pistou

By Mark Bittman

Published May 23, 2006

Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(25)
Comments
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One of my favorite dishes to make with fresh basil is soupe au pistou, the Provençal creation that combines legumes, vegetables and a strong but pared-down version of pesto (no more than basil, garlic and oil) to produce a gutsy, hearty soup. Though most traditionally done in late summer — you want good, ripe tomatoes for this, and preferably fresh beans, like cranberry — I make a pot of this as soon as the basil hits the market. Sometimes I make it in winter, just to remind myself that summer's coming. The recipe is a series of suggestions and it is eminently flexible. The zucchini and tomatoes, though not absolutely essential, are Provençal classics, but you can use whatever vegetables you can find as long as you finish the thing with basil.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 cup fresh shell beans (like cranberry or lima), soaked for a couple of hours in water to cover, or ½ cup dried beans, soaked overnight (or boiled for 2 minutes and soaked for 2 hours), drained

  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

  • 2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

  • 2 small to medium zucchini, trimmed and chopped

  • 2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped

  • 6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 1 cup small pasta like ditalini, or capellini broken into pieces

  • Freshly grated Parmesan to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

54 grams carbs; 411 calories; 13 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 1107 milligrams sodium; 9 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put beans, onion, carrots, celery and potatoes in a large saucepan with water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 60 minutes (dried beans will take longer to cook than fresh), adding a little more water if necessary. When beans are just about tender, add zucchini and tomatoes and simmer for another 20 minutes or so.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, combine garlic, basil and olive oil in a food processor (or a mortar and pestle) until pasty; use a little more oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    About 10 minutes before serving, add pasta to soup and cook until tender but not mushy; season again. Serve soup, passing pistou and Parmesan at the table.

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4 out of 5
25 user ratings
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This recipe was simple and delicious. I shied away from adding the full-soup measure of salt and pepper to the pistou as not all guests like basil. I added 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper to the soup toward the end of cooking. This kept everyone happy.

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