French Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Soupe au Pistou
A rustic Provençal summer vegetable and bean soup finished with a fragrant garlic-basil pistou stirred in at the table.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Drain the soaked white beans, cover with fresh water, and simmer about 45 minutes until nearly tender, then season with salt.
- 2
Add the carrots and potatoes to the beans and their liquid along with enough water to make a soupy base, and simmer 10 minutes.
- 3
Stir in the zucchini, green beans, and pasta, then cook another 12 to 15 minutes until all the vegetables and pasta are tender.
- 4
Meanwhile make the pistou by pounding or blending the basil, garlic, and Parmesan with the olive oil into a thick fragrant paste, seasoning with a pinch of salt.
- 5
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and let each diner swirl in a generous spoonful of pistou, with extra Parmesan passed at the table.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
72/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving560
Calories
16 g
Protein
54 g
Carbs
32 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Soupe au pistou comes from Provence in southern France, a vegetable soup of white beans, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, and green beans finished with pistou, a basil and garlic paste bound with olive oil. Pistou is often compared to Italian pesto but is traditionally made without pine nuts or cheese, keeping it lighter and more aromatic than its Italian cousin.
Listahan note
This version stirs the pistou into the soup only at the very end of cooking, off the heat, since the paste's aroma fades quickly if it's simmered rather than added fresh.
Technique cues
- Soaking the dried white beans overnight shortens their cooking time and helps them soften evenly through the simmer.
- Adding the vegetables in stages, with the potatoes and carrots first and the more delicate zucchini and green beans later, keeps every piece properly cooked without turning to mush.
- Pounding the basil, garlic, and olive oil into a paste by hand, rather than blending it hard, keeps the pistou's texture coarse and its aroma more pronounced.
- Stirring the pistou in off the heat right before serving preserves the raw basil and garlic flavor that cooking would otherwise dull.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Prep any side dishes while Soupe au Pistou finishes with the garlic cloves — the hands-off cook time is the window to use. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
- Make-ahead
- Soupe au Pistou reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the garlic cloves. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
- Leftover move
- Leftover Soupe au Pistou reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which can dry out a dish reheated this way faster than a covered, gentler reheat. This one leans on the garlic cloves. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Deglaze the pan used for Soupe au Pistou with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the garlic cloves. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight
Main protein or body
Purpose: cup dried white beans, soaked overnight gives Soupe au Pistou its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Rinse, soak, whisk, or separate as the recipe requires so the texture stays clean.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
2 medium zucchini, diced
Flavor support
Purpose: medium zucchini, diced supports the balance of Soupe au Pistou and should taste integrated.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
2 medium carrots, diced
Flavor support
Purpose: medium carrots, diced supports the balance of Soupe au Pistou and should taste integrated.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
2 medium potatoes, diced
Structural base
Purpose: medium potatoes, diced defines the shape and texture of the dish.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut
Main protein or body
Purpose: cup green beans, trimmed and cut gives Soupe au Pistou its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Rinse, soak, whisk, or separate as the recipe requires so the texture stays clean.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
Technique notes
- Pass extra pistou at the table so each person can stir in more to taste rather than oversaturating the pot.
- Soupe au pistou is traditionally a summer dish, built around vegetables at their peak rather than a winter root-vegetable soup.
- Leftover soup keeps well without the pistou mixed in; add fresh pistou to each bowl when reheating instead of storing it together.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Replace the pasta or with a certified gluten-free 1:1 flour blend or gluten-free noodles/breadcrumbs — check that any other packaged ingredients here are labeled gluten-free too. This one leans on the garlic cloves.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Salt in stages instead of all at once, tasting as you go — you'll likely need less than the full amount. This one leans on the garlic cloves.
- Weeknight shortcut
- For a faster version, prep the longest-cooking component a day ahead so the night-of cook is mostly assembly and finishing. This one leans on the garlic cloves.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Cucumber salad
- Roasted vegetables
- Pickled vegetables
- Iced tea
- Sparkling water with citrus
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of water, broth, milk, or sauce as appropriate.
- Freeze up to 2 months when the texture is braised, baked, or stew-like.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
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