Pistou Soup

By The Culinary Chase | December 30, 2009 |

Pistou is a sauce made from cloves of garlic, fresh basil and olive oil. It is a typical condiment from the Provence region of France that can be served with pasta dishes or as a spread for bread.  Some recipes incorporate the pistou into the soup just before serving or it can be offered at the table to be added after the soup is served.  With a salad and baguette, this bean and veggie soup makes a fiber-rich meal.

Serves 4
recipe from Jamie Magazine
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4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 leeks, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 potatoes, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
1 celery stick, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3 zucchinis, chopped
250g baby green beans
1 x 400g can cannellini beans, drained
1 x 400g can borlotti beans, drained
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
70g small macaroni

Pistou Sauce:
5 garlic cloves
Small handful fresh basil leaves
60g grated parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the oil in large saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the onion, leeks and garlic for 5 minutes. Add all the other ingredients except the pasta, cover with water, season well and simmer till the vegetables are tender. Add the pasta and simmer till cooked, adding water if the soup is too thick.
For the pistou sauce, combine the garlic, basil and sea salt in a mortar and pound with pestle until puréed, add the parmesan and olive oil to make a paste. Serve the soup with a dollop of pistou.


The Culinary Chase’s Note:  An easy dish to make with nutritious ingredients and amazing flavors!!

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9 Comments

  1. pierre on January 3, 2010 at 16:24

    dear Heather !
    thanks for the pistou and vive la france
    I wish you the best for 2010 !!Pierre



  2. The Culinary Chase on January 3, 2010 at 19:29

    Merci Pierre! Happy New Year!



  3. Maris on January 4, 2010 at 00:49

    Sounds delish and so easy! I have most of those ingredients in my pantry and this is perfect soup season in chilly Chicago!



  4. tobias cooks! on January 4, 2010 at 14:35

    this soup is cerainly worth a try. looks fab and I love garlic.



  5. The Culinary Chase on January 4, 2010 at 19:58

    Thanks Maris & Tobias! That’s the beauty of this recipe as most ingredients are in most pantry’s. Cheers!



  6. baby cribs on January 6, 2010 at 07:34

    My family loved the soup! I prepared some last Christmas! Thanks for your post! I got to prepare something new for my family!



  7. The Culinary Chase on January 6, 2010 at 14:04

    Thanks baby Cribs! A super healthy soup & one to warm you on a cold winter’s day. Cheers!



  8. Peter M on January 7, 2010 at 20:07

    My favourite part about this soup is the aroma when the garlic and basil hit the hot soup…dreamy.



  9. The Culinary Chase on January 8, 2010 at 21:17

    Thanks Peter. Yes, I agree with you on aromatics when the Pistou hits the hot soup. Cheers!