French Pesto Soup (Soup au Pistou)

This soup has quickly become one of my favorites. Although the base of it is a very uncomplicated, straightforward vegetable soup, the soup is not limited to just one recipe. Traditionally, it’s made with whatever in season vegetables you happen to have on hand. The vegetables are made into a soup using water, not broth in order to fully appreciate the taste of the vegetables themselves.

But the real star of the dish is the freshly made pesto that is placed on top. This is the French version of pesto- pistou. It’s essentially pesto as we know it, minus the pine nuts. A large dollop of it is set on top of the soup to be mixed in by whoever is eating the dish.

What’s Inside French Pesto Soup:

As mentioned above, the recipe is not limited to the specific vegetables in any given recipe basically, it’s recommended to use fresh, in season vegetables from your area. If you don’t want to use a certain vegetable I have listed in my recipe, feel free to either omit it or substitute it for another one of your preference.

For the Soup-

• White Beans
• Leeks
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Green Beans
• Tomato
• Black Eyed Peas (or Green Peas)
• Garlic
• Pasta
• Thyme
• Bay Leaf (if using dried beans)
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Avocado Oil
• Water

For the Pistou-

• Garlic
• Salt
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Parmesan (preferably grated directly from a block)

How to Make:

• You have 2 options with the beans. You can either use dried beans or canned beans. If using the dried beans soak them in cold water the night before. The next morning pour out the water and add to a pot. Cover with fresh water to where the water is about an inch higher than the beans. Simmer with about 1/4 tsp salt and a bay leaf for about 45 minutes. Set aside.
• Prepare all of your ingredients. Dice the potatoes, tomatoes, green beans and carrots, mince the garlic. Lay out all of the other ingredients such as the oil, salt, pepper, thyme, pasta, beans, and black eyed peas.
• Heat the avocado oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot add the leeks in and sauté until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add in the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
• Add in the carrots, green beans, and potatoes and sauté for about 5-10 more minutes until they are about half cooked.
• Add in the salt, pepper, and thyme and stir until everything is evenly coated.
• Pour in the 1.5L of water.
• Let the mixture cook on a low boil for 15 minutes.
• Add in the beans (either dried or from a can) ALONG WITH the water they were cooked in (or the liquid from the can).
• Add the pasta and the black eyed peas (or green peas) to the mixture.
• If needed, add any additional water to the mixture to make sure all of the vegetables are fully submerged (up to 1 cup).
• Let cook at a low boil for about 7-8 more minutes, or until pasta and potatoes are both fully cooked.
• While the soup is cooling, work on the pistou.
• Test both of the pasta and potatoes to see if they are fully cooked.
• If so, turn the heat off, let cool, place a generous serving of the pistou on top, stir in, and enjoy!!

For the Pistou-

• Place the clove of garlic, along with a small pinch of salt into a mortar and pestle. Pound until it is a paste.
• Add in the roughly chopped basil and pound until it has fully broken down and is somewhat smooth.
• Add in the parmesan and pound until it is just coming to be mixed with the basil/garlic.
• SLOWLY drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to pound until everything is fully combined.
• NOTE: You can also use a food processor if you don’t have a mortar and pestle! Follow the same instructions above, but use the pulse function on the processor instead of pounding!

Equipment Used for French Pesto Soup:

• Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
• Mortar and Pestle
• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting Board
• Mixing Bowls
• Ladle

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