French · lunch, dinner
Soupe au Pistou (Provençal Vegetable and Bean Soup)
Video by America's Test Kitchen on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegetarian with a vegetarian hard cheese instead of the parmesan cheese (traditionally made with animal rennet)
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Packed with vegetables and cannellini beans, each serve gives about 11 g of protein and 5 g of fibre and is a good source of vitamin K and vitamin C. An olive-oil and basil pistou adds richness instead of cream.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 18
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leek, celery, carrot and ½ tsp salt and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. 0:39
- Add the vegetable broth and water and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes. 1:26
- Add the green beans and cook for 3–5 minutes, until bright green and tender-crisp. 2:05
- Stir in the zucchini, tomato and the cannellini beans with their liquid and simmer for about 3 minutes, until just tender. Turn off the heat. 2:41
- For the pistou, blitz the basil, Parmesan, ⅓ cup olive oil and garlic in a food processor for about 15 seconds until smooth; season with pepper. 3:39
- Ladle the soup into bowls and stir a generous spoonful of pistou into each. 4:16
Tip. Serves 6 (our estimate). Use vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese to keep it vegetarian, or leave the cheese out of the pistou for a vegan soup. Navy beans can replace cannellini.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 31%
- Protein 15%
- Fat 54%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High44%
52 µg a serve, mostly from green beans (31%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin E High21%
3.1 mg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (56%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin C High20%
18 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (33%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Folate High20%
81 µg a serve, mostly from cannellini beans (40%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin A Source19%
167 µg a serve, mostly from carrot (58%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Iron Source17%
3.1 mg a serve, mostly from cannellini beans (48%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Magnesium Source16%
65 mg a serve, mostly from cannellini beans (39%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin B6 Source16%
0.3 mg a serve. Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Selenium Source15%
8.5 µg a serve, mostly from pasta (61%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Calcium Source14%
185 mg a serve, mostly from parmesan cheese (50%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Omega-3 Source14%
0.2 g a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (42%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Potassium Source13%
610 mg a serve, mostly from cannellini beans (37%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Zinc Source11%
1.2 mg a serve, mostly from cannellini beans (45%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Show the other 2
Vitamin B125%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from parmesan cheese (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve, mostly from parmesan cheese (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
You might also like
Simple French RatatouilleFrench · 176 kcal · 5.9 g protein
Authentic Salade NiçoiseFrench · 423 kcal · 17 g protein
Moules Marinière (Mussels in White Wine)French · 333 kcal · 27 g protein
White Fish Grilled Under a Chive Aioli CrustFrench · 688 kcal · 38 g protein
Classic French Omelette in ButterFrench · 334 kcal · 19 g protein
12-Minute Seared Duck Breast with Crispy SkinFrench · 358 kcal · 42 g protein
Recipe and video by America's Test Kitchen; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.