pistou
American-
a paste or sauce from Provençe made of basil, garlic, olive oil, and sometimes Parmesan cheese and tomato paste.
-
a vegetable soup flavored with pistou.
Etymology
Origin of pistou
First recorded in 1950–55; from French: literally “crushed basil, pesto,” from Provençal, pistou “ground, pounded,” past participle of pista “to crush,” from Old Provençal pester, pistar “to grind,” from Vulgar Latin pistāre; see origin at pestle ( def. ), pesto
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We first came across pistou in Marseille as a no-cook basil and garlic sauce stirred into a hearty bean soup.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 1, 2023
Soupe au pistou is one of my favourite soups in the world.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 8, 2019
Try them soon, while they are still cloaked in a nettle-and-walnut pistou that is lemony and emerald-green.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2019
Not unlike gremolata or pistou, it's good spooned onto grilled meat, fish and chicken, or into soups.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2015
Our cheerful but busy host ran in and out of the kitchen, bringing plates of soupe au pistou and boeuf bourguignon with parsley and carrots, just as his predecessors have done for decades.
From New York Times ● Apr. 30, 2010
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