Anthony Bourdain's Soupe Au Pistou | Back to Bourdain E52

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: pecorino cheese

Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

Soak dry beans overnight (optional, but using canned beans instead).

Do all your knife work, meaning the dicing and slicing of vegetables.

In a large heavy-bottom pot, heat the olive oil.

Add garlic and onion to the pot and sauté on low heat until the onion becomes translucent.

Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to sauté on low heat until slightly soft.

Add chicken stock or broth and bring to a quick boil on high heat.

Immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

Add elbow macaroni and continue simmering until it's nearly cooked through, stirring occasionally and skimming off any scum and foam with a ladle.

While the soup is simmering, make the pistou in a mortar and pestle by grinding and pounding the basil and garlic together until it becomes a sludge-like paste.

Slowly incorporate olive oil into the basil and garlic mixture, folding in parmesan at the end and seasoning with salt and pepper.

After about 30 minutes, when the macaroni and beans are cooked through but not mushy, add the already cooked beans with a little of the canned water for flavor.

Whisk in the pistou and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens