Sunday White Bean and Vegetable Soup with Pesto

Posted by Dana McMahan on March 30, 2008

We've tried several "soup au pistou" and provencal vegetable soups over the last couple of years and have arrived at our own version. We tried it today in the slow cooker, allowing us to work on it here and there as we had a few minutes throughout the day. It's a great Sunday evening dinner with a buttered baguette, and will make yummy lunch leftovers.

I don't have a precise recipe, but here is a framework for you.

Soak 3/4 cup dried white beans overnight, or do a rapid soak (bring 3 cups water with beans to a rapid boil, remove from heat and allow to stand one hour).

Add beans to fresh water in crock pot. Cook on high 3-4 hours. If you have canned beans (two cans), skip this step and start with the onions and broth (next)

The next time you wander through the kitchen sautee about half a white onion in some olive oil. Drain the beans and place back in the cooker, this time with four cups of vegetable broth. Add the onions. Let cook a while as you go about your business.

As you begin to think about wanting dinner in a couple hours, dice one red potato and one carrot. Sautee in some olive oil until they begin to soften. Toss into the cooker. Throw in some frozen green beans too, if you have them.

After this simmers for an hour or so add one small diced zucchini and one small diced yellow squash, along with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of egg noodles. Keep cooking on high until noodles are cooked.

Ladle into bowls and swirl a generous lashing of pesto into soup.

TAGS: Pesto, Soup, White Beans
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