There’s nothing better than a hearty, warming vegetable soup when the wind is howling outside. It may be May, but the weather doesn’t agree! It’s been bitterly cold lately. This vegetable soup recipe is based on a recipe for Pistou found in Rose Elliot’s Vegetarian Cookery (1995). I’d changed quite a few of the ingredients to use what I had on hand and thought I’d investigate the origins of pistou and see if what I had made could still be called such a dish. Apparently soupe au pistou is a French vegetable and bean soup traditionally made with water, but the key ingredient is a pesto-like blend of fresh basil, garlic and olive oil and it is swirled onto the top of the soup (and sometimes into it so it disperses) and imparts gorgeous flavours into the dish.
That sounds fantastic! Alas, I’d made and devoured the soup before I found out this little gem of information. So, I’ve renamed the soup and will be trying the classic soupe au pistou at a later date.
Nonetheless, this recipe makes quite a lovely, remarkably filling soup. The sweet potatoes dissolve a little bit in it, thickening the broth, and there’s enough texture throughout to really sink your teeth into it. The original recipe calls for one teaspoon of dried basil, and I mis-read it and used one tablespoon, but you know what, it works, so I’m keeping it like that. I like the little flecks of basil throughout.
You could go through all the hassle of soaking and cooking dried beans for this recipe, but I find I usually have a tin of the local supermarket brand three bean salad (in water) in my store cupboard and it works a treat. Easy peasy.
I’ve added this recipe to My Legume Love Affair #59 hosted by Kalyani at Sizzling Tastebuds. Â This blogging event featuring all things legume was started by Susan over at The Well Seasoned Cook and is now managed by Lisa at Lisa’s Kitchen.
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 400 gram tin mixed cannellini, flageolet and adzuki beans
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 leeks, finely sliced
- 5 tomatoes, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 50 grams orzo pasta
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: Serves 4
Feta Cheese, Onion & Potato Bread with Rosemary
A good, hearty soup for this weekend. It’s going to be chill doing fall cleanup but this will take care of that! Thanks!
A wonderful idea and so versatile – one of those where you can rummage through the cupboard for your ingredients !
Love the look of this
Vegetable soup is just my absolute favourite and the addition of the beans just makes it better
This looks great.
This looks so delicious and so easy to follow !
I could eat this right now. Looks so inviting x
This is the perfect recipe for the weather we’ve been having. I keep meaning to make my own soups, I might give it a go this weekend 🙂
This looks delicious, perfect for a cold autumn day
Looks delicious. Just about the right time of year for it too.
love soup, and my daughter, really need to start making my own, copied a couple of your recipes and will have a go soon.
I so agree with you that there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of homemade soup when it’s cold and windy outside and your recipe for three bean vegetable soup looks as though it would do just that – must give it a try
This will be very good as the winter draws in
This looks like a nice warming soup.
I can’t believe I’m looking at hearty warming soups in August – but it’s really autumnal here. This sounds so comforting – is it ridiculous to be making it in summer? Nah – I’m going in…..
This soup looks so nice. I’d love it with crusty bread.
Crusty bread certainly goes very well with this hearty soup 🙂
My husband and I have started making lots of different soup recipes as they are tasty and healthy. Also a great way to lose weight.
Our favourites are Tomato, Pea & Ham, and Vegetable soup. However, this recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Thank you.
Looks healthy and tasty.
This sounds great – I love pulses and veg in a soup.
Absolutley gorgeous! I’m working my way thru’ your recipes!
This sounds delicious thanks!
I agree that the weather hasn’t figured out that it is supposed to be warm and sunny. We received some more snow. This soup looks great for the cold weather we are having. Pinning it.
Aw thanks 🙂 The cold weather seems never ending!
What a wonderfully hearty soup. You’re so right. It’s perfect for these warm days cold nights weather!
It’s definitely going to be a regular meal served in my house, especially in the autumn.