Pea Soup (Print Version)
Silky pea soup with sauteed aromatics and fresh herbs—ready in under an hour for a cozy lunch or dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables and Aromatics
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 3 cups frozen or fresh green peas (about 17.5 oz)
→ Liquids
07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
→ Seasonings
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Garnishes
11 - Crème fraîche or plain yogurt, for topping
12 - Croutons or crusty bread, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add the peas, vegetable broth, and dried thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
04 - Use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a standard blender and blend until silky.
05 - Return the puréed soup to the pot if using a standard blender. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Heat through briefly if needed.
06 - Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Garnish with a swirl of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of extra parsley if desired. Serve alongside croutons or crusty bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It transforms the most basic freezer staple into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did.
- The velvety texture feels luxurious without a drop of cream in the base, so you can feel good about going back for seconds.
02 -
- If you purée the soup while it is still boiling hot in a standard blender, the steam can build pressure and blow the lid off, so always let it cool slightly and blend in small batches with the vent open.
- Passing the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve takes an extra two minutes but rewards you with a restaurant quality silkiness that is absolutely worth the effort.
03 -
- Use the best vegetable broth you can find or make your own, because in a soup with so few ingredients, every single one of them has to pull its weight.
- Reserve a small handful of whole peas before blending and stir them back in at the end for little bursts of texture that make each spoonful more interesting.