Pistou Provençal Vegetable Soup
Soupe au pistou is a rich and hearty summer vegetable soup that features pistou, a French pesto-like sauce.
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound yellow onions (454 g; about 2 medium onions), diced
- Kosher or fine sea salt
- 1 pound (454 g) shelled fresh cranberry beans (from abou 3 pounds; 1.3 kg cranberry bean pods) or 8 ounces (227 g) soaked dried cannellini or cranberry beans (if dried, see notes for soaking instructions)
- 1 pound (454 g) string beans or romano beans, stem ends trimmed and beans cut into 1/2-inch lengths
- 1 pound (454 g) zucchini, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces (227 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces fresh tomato (227 g; about 1 medium tomato), cored and diced
- 3/4 pound (340 g) Yukon Gold (yellow) potatoes, cut into small chunks
- 4 medium cloves (25 g) garlic
- Medium-coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 2 cups (60 g) picked basil leaves
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 plum tomatoes (about 7 ounces; 200 g total), peeled, seeded, and minced
- Cooked fresh pasta shells or other small pasta, if desired
- Grated cheese, such as Gruyere, Comte, or Gouda, for serving