A classic French country vegetable soup loaded with fresh, wholesome vegetables and finished with a memorable nut-free French pistou. Comforting, healthy, and hearty.
Several times a year I teach public cooking classes. They always have a theme and are BYOB, which guarantees a good time and lively conversation.
One of my favorite classes was called “Back to Basics.” It was my largest class and took place on a bitter winter night in Chicago. The students ranged from twenty-something beginners learning how to hold a knife to a 60-year-old Russian babushka, who had been brought by her daughter as a birthday present and was, at first, not pleased to be there.
My menu was simple: the ultimate roasted chicken, perfectly golden potatoes, and a classic French country vegetable soup served with pistou. Pistou is the Provençal version of pesto—basil, garlic, Parmesan, good olive oil, salt and pepper—simple ingredients that transform the soup with bright, savory flavor. It’s ridiculously delicious and adds depth to the broth.
The babushka was skeptical and kept trying to teach me how to make the dishes I was demonstrating. At one point she stirred the pot and declared, “My grandson won’t eat this—there are too many vegetables.”
I laughed and suggested her daughter would be happy to have the soup, but babushka stubbornly kept working at the stove. She was in charge and clearly intended to do things her way.
After several bottles of wine and many shared stories, the kitchen was filled with laughter and delicious aromas. Even the babushka relaxed and joined the fun. Since it was her birthday, we serenaded her with a loud “Happy Birthday,” kissed her cheek, and then I served the soup.
She took a sip, loved the earthy flavors and the comforting broth, and once I added a spoonful of pistou she was completely won over.
Everyone was amazed how a simple pistou transformed the soup. They gathered around the stainless-steel tables, sipped wine, and dipped crusty bread into the warm broth. It was a night of full bellies, bright smiles, and great company—the kind of night I love to create.
Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pistou
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- Author: Mila Furman
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 8 people 1x
Description
A classic French country vegetable soup loaded with fresh, wholesome vegetables and finished with a memorable nut-free pistou. Comforting, healthy, and hearty.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the soup:
- 2 quarts vegetable stock
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- A few sprigs each of thyme and parsley (optional: a Parmesan rind and a bay leaf)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes with their liquid
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, scrubbed and diced
- 1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 pound green beans (about 2 cups), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup small soup pasta such as macaroni or small shells
- Freshly ground pepper
Pistou
- 2 large garlic cloves, halved and with green shoots removed
- 1 cup fresh basil
- Salt to taste
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Freshly ground pepper
- Additional Parmesan for sprinkling, about 1/2 cup
Instructions
Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot. Add the chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the leeks and garlic and cook a few minutes more.
- Add the canned tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have broken down slightly and the mixture is fragrant, five to ten minutes.
- Add the remaining vegetables except the green beans. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Pistou
- To make the pistou, combine the garlic, basil, salt, and Parmesan in a food processor. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil until a smooth paste forms. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- About 10 minutes before serving, add the pasta to the simmering soup and cook until al dente.
- Add the green beans about 5 minutes after the pasta so they stay tender-crisp.
- Adjust pepper and salt to taste.
- Serve the soup with a spoonful of pistou in each bowl for guests to stir in and pass additional Parmesan for sprinkling.
- Offer crostini or crusty bread for dipping—perfect with the broth and pistou.