59min 4 ppl
Soupe au Pistou
127 minutes
4 people
Hardover 60 min or 12+ steps
127 min · 12 steps
Hard: over 60 min or 12+ steps
620 kcalper person
Protein 22g
Carbs 78g
Fats 24g
About this dish
Dried beans soaked overnight and a raw basil pistou stirred in only at the very last moment give this Provencal summer soup its clean, herbaceous backbone and a depth that sets it far apart from ordinary vegetable minestrone.
Allergy Info
Gluten
Diet Info
Vegan
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- Large onionfinely diced1 large
- Garlic cloves2 minced for the soup, 4 peeled whole for the pistou6 cloves
- Carrotspeeled and cut into 1cm dice2 medium
- Celery stalkscut into 1cm dice2 stalks
- Waxy potatoespeeled and cut into 1cm dice2 medium
- Courgettescut into 1cm dice2 medium
- Green beanstrimmed and cut into 2cm lengths200 g
- Ripe tomatoespeeled, deseeded and roughly chopped400 g
- fresh basil leavespacked, for the pistou60 g
- Ripe tomatopeeled and deseeded, for the pistou1 medium
Dried Goods
- Dried cannellini beanssoaked overnight in cold water100 g
- Dried borlotti beanssoaked overnight in cold water100 g
- Cold water1.8 litres
- Small dried pastaditalini or small macaroni100 g
Spices & Seasonings
- Bouquet garnibay leaf, thyme and parsley stalks tied together1 bundle
- Fine sea saltplus more to taste1 tsp
- Black pepperfreshly ground0.5 tsp
- Fine sea saltfor the pistou0.5 tsp
Oils & Condiments
- Extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- Extra-virgin olive oilbest quality available, for the pistou80 ml
Utensils
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Large mortar and pestle
Method
1
Drain and rinse the soaked cannellini and borlotti beans. Dice the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes and courgettes. Trim and cut the green beans, and chop the tomatoes. Mince the 2 garlic cloves for the soup and peel the 4 for the pistou. Measure out all remaining ingredients.
Approx. 15 minutes
2
Place the drained beans in a large pot, cover with cold water by 5cm, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook uncovered for 45–55 minutes, until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
Approx. 50 minutes
3
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent with no colour.
Approx. 9 minutes
4
Add the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Approx. 1 minute
5
Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften.
Approx. 5 minutes
6
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until they break down and the mixture looks jammy.
Approx. 5 minutes
7
Pour in the cold water and drop in the bouquet garni. Season with the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Approx. 3 minutes
8
Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, until just beginning to yield to a knife.
Approx. 10 minutes
9
Add the cooked beans, courgettes and green beans and simmer for 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are fully tender but still holding their shape.
Approx. 10 minutes
10
Add the pasta and cook for 8–10 minutes, until al dente. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Approx. 9 minutes
11
While the pasta cooks, make the pistou: pound the 4 garlic cloves with the salt in a large mortar until a smooth paste forms. Add the basil leaves in three additions, pounding and rotating the mortar between each addition until the mixture is a rough green paste. Work in the tomato flesh until incorporated. Drizzle in the olive oil gradually, stirring with the pestle to form a thick, loose sauce.
Approx. 8 minutes
12
Remove the pot from heat. Stir half the pistou directly into the soup and ladle into warm bowls. Serve the remaining pistou at the table for guests to stir in to taste.
Approx. 2 minutes
