White Bean Soup with Pesto
Fasting Recipes Vegetables Gluten-Free Recipes Soups and Stews
Soupe au pistou, simplified version. Naturally thickened by pureeing some of the beans, simply flavored with just garlic and basil sauce (pesto), but enough to be delicious.
If you are drawn to the version with more vegetables, closer to the original, try this vegetable soup with pesto.
Ingredients
600g cooked white beans
400ml bean cooking water
2 medium garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 level tablespoon pesto genovese or pistou (basil; store-bought or homemade)
salt, black pepper
Servings: 3
How to prepare white bean soup with pesto
- Cook the white beans according to the instructions here (you need about 300g dried white beans). When boiling, I added 1 carrot cut into large pieces, 1 small onion and 1 bay leaf. After cooking, let the beans cool in their cooking water. The beans can be cooked 2-3 days ahead and kept refrigerated in their cooking water.
- Weigh separately the beans and water you need. Put 150g of the beans in a food processor with 100ml of water and blend on high speed until you have a smooth cream that looks like thin sour cream.
- Add the oil and crushed garlic to a pot and heat over low heat until the garlic starts to smell nice, without browning.
- Add the bean cream and stir, then let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. It will look like a bechamel.
- Add the rest of the bean water (300ml) and simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on.
- Add the beans and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from heat and gradually add pesto (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time), tasting after each addition until it suits your taste (the intensity of pesto can vary from brand to brand or if homemade, so it is better to add it gradually until you like it).
* pesto genovese is sometimes made with parmesan, but during fasting you can make pesto without cheese; those who do not fast can add parmesan to their bowl. - Season the soup with salt and grind black pepper.
- Serve the soup warm, with toasted bread.
