Soupe au Pistou is a classic Provençal summer soup which is incredible with the right ingredients. Seasonal vegetables and beans are simmered in vegetable broth until perfectly cooked and the soup is finished off table side with a delicious pistou sauce. It’s the South of France in a bowl and when you have locally grown, seasonal vegetables and it’s perhaps one of the best soups that you’ll ever eat!
Provençal cuisine is one of my favourites and despite the popularity of the classics such as Ratatouille and Bouillabaisse there’s plenty of other, unknown classics such as this soup.
If you’ve been to the South of France you’ll have no doubt stumbled upon some of the amazing markets in the region. Fruit and vegetables are abundant and incredibly fresh. It’s this kind of food culture that makes Provençal cuisine so special. Soupe au Pistou is a perfect way to cook these vegetables and boy, you’ll taste how good they are in this soup!
It is of course, a seasonal dish and it’s only eaten in the summer when the vegetables are in season. Do not try and make this in the winter when the vegetables aren’t in season.
This soup is best made with really fresh, locally grown vegetables. Try going to a farmers market or use your own grown vegetables!
What is Pistou Sauce?
Similar to the Italian pesto sauce, pistou is the Provençal version which is a much simpler version. The word itself is a Provençal word and its etymology is derived from Latin ‘pistare’ (to grind) and Occitan ‘pistar’ (to crush).
A Provençal Pistou sauce is simply made with basil leaves, garlic, olive oil and salt. Genovese Pesto however traditionally has the addition of pine nuts and parmesan. There’s of course plenty of debate about the true origin of both sauces but as Genova is only a few hours from the French border, it’s not a surprise that there are similarities!
Regardless of its origin it’s a delicious sauce that goes so well with pasta, fish and meat. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, it takes a bit of elbow grease and some patience but it’s worth it!
Pistou sauce, in this recipe, works as a seasoning to the delicate vegetable broth. Adding a beautiful fresh basil flavour, colour and a hit of garlic flavour to the soup.
What You’ll Need
To make Soup au Pistou, you’ll need:
- Tomato: A ripe tomato (during tomato season!) is a must – for flavour and for body of the soup. As it cooks, the pectin breaks down giving a slight thickness to this soup.
- Courgette: You can use white or yellow courgette for this recipe. They are added nearer the end of the cooking stage as they break down quickly and you don’t want them to turn to mush!
- Leek, Onion & Turnip: Leek, onion and turnip add a savoury element to the soup.
- Carrots: I use locally grown carrots and I leave the skin on – this imparts a lot more flavour into the soup.
- Beans: I use tinned, white beans for ease but you can use any kind of white bean that you like (butterbeans, for example). Dry beans that are cooked in the soup give a better flavour.
- Basil: Fresh basil is a must for a real Soupe au Pistou! I use two large handfuls of basil to make my pistou sauce. I also use the leftover stems to go into a Bouquet Garni to flavour the broth.
*Note: You can replace these ingredients with whatever you have on hand. Options include: broad beans, fresh peas, asparagus – what ever is in season!
Ingredients
Makes enough for 4 medium portions.
- 1 ripe tomato, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
- 1 turnip, peeled and diced
- 3 small carrots, skin on and diced
- 1 courgette, diced
- 1 large potato, peeled and diced
- 1 can of white beans
- 1 bouquet garni
- 500ml vegetable broth
- 1 large handful of basil, leaves only
- 2 garlic cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil
How to Make Soupe au Pistou
- Place the diced onion, leek, carrot, turnip and bouquet garni into a large lid and cover with the vegetable broth. Add more water if needed to ensure the vegetables are covered. Season with salt.
- Bring to a simmer and skim off any scum. Place a lid on top and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the potato and tomato and cook for 45 mins.
- Meanwhile, make the pistou sauce by smashing 2 garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle with some coarse salt. Once the garlic is paste like, add a handful of basil and smash and grind it down to a paste. Continue until all the basil has been puréed. Finally, slowly beat in olive oil until you have an emulsified sauce.
- Once the 45 mins is up, add the tinned beans and courgette and cook for another 10 minutes.
- All the vegetables should be cooked at this point. If not, simmer for 5-10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
- Tablet side, add a tablespoon of pistou sauce into each bowl and stir in. Enjoy!
How to Reheat the Soup
Soupe au Pistou reheats well in a pot on the hob or in the microwave. However the pistou sauce should be stored in the fridge separately and only added into the hot soup.
Reheating soup with the pistou sauce mixed in will dull the flavour and colour.
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