A Hearty Vegetable and Bean Soup From France
Soupe au Pistou is a hearty Provençal vegetable soup with cannellini and cranberry beans, lots of fresh vegetables, San Marzano tomatoes, and escarole, all simmered in a flavorful broth. It’s served with a vibrant pistou (the French version of pesto!) made from fresh basil, olive oil, Parmesan, and garlic, adding a burst of aromatic flavor to the soup.
While I often think of soup as being perfect in fall or winter, this is the quintessential vegetable soup for summer.
Don’t forget to check out all of our easy soup recipes. If you like lighter vegetable soups, definitely give our Fasolada (Hearty Greek White Bean Soup), Tomato, White Bean, Kale Soup, or Creamy Cauliflower and White Bean Soup a try next!
What You’ll Need
- Vegetables: carrots, celery, fennel, onion, and leek provide a rich, aromatic base for the soup.
- Dried cannellini beans and dried cranberry beans and heartiness to the soupe au pistou.
- Green veggies like haricots verts (or string beans), zucchini, and escarole contribute freshness and texture.
- Russet potato: Adds creaminess and also helps to thicken the soup.
- San Marzano tomatoes: Bring a sweet and tangy taste to the soupe au pistou.
- Vegetable stock: Forms the liquid base of the soup. You can also use water or a low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer.
- Aromatics: garlic, bay leaf, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes infuse the soup with aromatic flavors.
- Parmesan rind: Optional, but highly recommended for adding depth to the soupe au pistou. I always keep a bag of Parmesan rinds in my freezer in a ziploc bag, especially for making soup!
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season everything!
- The flavorful pistou is made with fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, and garlic.
And just like if you were dining in a French restaurant, be sure to grab a crusty French baguette for enjoying alongside your bowl of soup!
Directions
Full quantities and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Soak the Beans: Place beans in a large bowl, cover with water, add salt, and soak overnight; drain before use.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Dice carrots, celery, fennel, onion, leek, haricots verts, zucchini, and potato.
- Cook the Soup: Combine diced vegetables, soaked beans, vegetable stock (or water/chicken broth), San Marzano tomatoes, escarole, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a large pot; bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour or until the veggies are tender.
- Make the Pistou: Blend basil leaves, olive oil, grated Parmesan, and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Definitely feel free to leave it with a bit of coarse texture if you’d rather!
- Serve: Remove Parmesan rind from the soup, ladle into bowls, top with a generous spoonful of pistou, and serve with a baguette.
I adore making French food at home. If you feel the same, check out my whole baked red snapper with Provençal vegetables, this oven-baked ratatouille, or my take on Provençal-style roast chicken with olives.
Expert Tips
- If short on time, use canned beans instead of dried ones. Rinse and drain canned beans before adding to the soup. You can also use white beans if you like.
- If a Parmesan rind isn’t available, add extra grated Parmesan to the soup for richness. The rind contributes depth but is not a strict necessity.
- Adjust the pistou’s texture to your preference. Blend it until smooth for a silky consistency or leave it slightly chunky for a more rustic feel.
- Be sure to grab a French baguette to serve with the soup. It complements the dish and provides a delightful texture contrast.
Make-Ahead and Storing Leftovers
- To make-ahead: Prepare the soup as directed, but leave out the pistou. Allow the soup to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently on the stovetop and stir in the pistou just before serving.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover soup in airtight containers in a fridge for up to 3-4 days. Keep the pistou separately to maintain its freshness. When reheating, adjust seasoning as needed and consider adding a splash of broth to restore the soup’s consistency.
- To freeze: For freezing, it’s best to freeze the soup without the pistou. Portion the cooled soup into airtight containers or freezer bags, leaving room for expansion. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator before reheating, and prepare the pistou fresh for serving. This ensures the vibrant flavors of the pistou are at their best when enjoyed.
Note: while we include instructions for freezing, the texture of the vegetables may change during freezing and thawing and become softer than when originally cooked.
How To Serve
When you’re ready to enjoy this traditional soupe au pistou, ladle it into bowls, and don’t forget to add a scoop of the pistou and a piece of crusty baguette.
If you’re looking for a few light summer salads to serve alongside, consider one of the following:
- House Salad with Goat Cheese
- Spring Mix Salad with Prosciutto
- No-Cook Butter Lettuce Salad
- Raw Zucchini Salad with Pistachios & Mint
Ingredient Substitutions
If you are unable to find escarole, consider adding a handful of kale.
If you want to make it a bit heartier, consider adding cooked crumbled Italian sausage or shredded chicken.
Some recipes call for the addition of pasta. Add it if you like, just be sure not to overcook the pasta (it should be al dente!). The risk with adding pasta to soup is that it will continue to absorb the liquid and turn into mush, so time the cooking accordingly.
You are going to fall in love with Soupe au Pistou, I just know it! A truly delicious way to pack in those summer veggies!
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Soupe au Pistou (Provençal Vegetable Soup)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight, drained
- 1 cup dried cranberry beans soaked overnight, drained
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
- 2 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 small fennel bulbs, diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced into half-moons
- ½ lb haricots verts or string beans, ends trimmed, each bean cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 8 cups vegetable stock, or water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15oz) can San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 small head of escarole, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Baguette, for serving
For the pistou
- 2 heaping cups fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus a Parmesan rind
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Soak the beans. Place beans in a large bowl, then cover with water. Add 2 tsp Kosher salt, then allow the beans to soak overnight, or at least 12 hours. Drain.
- Cook the soup. Place diced carrots, celery, fennel, onion, leek, haricots verts, zucchini, and potato in a large soup pot. Add the drained beans, then cover fully with 8 cups of vegetable stock (or water). Add 1 (15oz) can San Marzano tomatoes (whole or broken up with your hands), escarole leaves, Parmesan rind (if using), 4 smashed garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp thyme, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 2 tsp Kosher salt, and ½ tsp black pepper. Stir, bring to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour. Taste, then adjust seasoning as needed.
- Make the pistou. Place basil leaves, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup grated Parmesan, 1 garlic clove, and ½ tsp Kosher salt in the bowl of a small food processor. Blend until mostly smooth (though feel free to leave this chunkier if preferred).
- Serve! Remove the Parmesan rind, then ladle the soup into individual bowls. Top each with a generous spoonful of pistou and additional grated Parmesan. Enjoy with baguette.
Notes
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- To make-ahead: Prepare the soup as directed, but leave out the pistou. Allow the soup to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently on the stovetop and stir in the pistou just before serving.
-
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover soup in airtight containers in a fridge for up to 3-4 days. Keep the pistou separately to maintain its freshness. When reheating, adjust seasoning as needed and consider adding a splash of broth to restore the soup’s consistency.
-
- To freeze: For freezing, it’s best to freeze the soup without the pistou. Portion the cooled soup into airtight containers or freezer bags, leaving room for expansion. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator before reheating, and prepare the pistou fresh for serving. This ensures the vibrant flavors of the pistou are at their best when enjoyed.
Nutrition
Photography by: Jo Harding.
I made this gorgeous Soupe au Pistou today. Couldn’t resist the ingredient list full of veggies and beans. I followed it exactly as written and it was brilliant! Served it with toasted baguette and fresh mozzarella cheese. The pot was full to the brim with delicious vegetables and the broth was so flavorful. Have a quart in the freezer for my daughter! Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow. Thank you!
This looks beyond delicious, Ellen! Thanks for sharing! xo, Ari
I made this beautiful soup today cause I could not resist the ingredient list. It was fantastic! I made it just as written and it was perfect. The shortcut I took was using Raffetto’s pesto as I had a fresh container in my fridge. I served it with toasted baguette and fresh mozzarella. It is definitely a keeper and being added to my rotation. I have a quart in the freezer for my daughter and can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow. Thank you!