Pea Soup (Printable)
Hearty pea soup with green peas, aromatic vegetables and fresh herbs; silky texture, perfect with crusty bread.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
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
→ 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 Toppings
11 - Crème fraîche or plain yogurt, for topping
12 - Croutons or crusty bread, for serving
# Steps:
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 to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the 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 creamy.
05 - Return the puréed soup to the pot if using a standard blender. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat through briefly if needed.
06 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a swirl of crème fraîche and additional parsley if desired. Serve accompanied by croutons or crusty bread.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together with pantry staples and takes almost no effort, yet tastes like you spent hours on it.
- The color alone, a vivid emerald green, is enough to make anyone at the table lean in for a closer look.
02 -
- Hot soup expands dramatically in a blender, so never fill it more than halfway or you will be wearing your dinner.
- Straining the soup after blending transforms it from good to restaurant quality with about thirty seconds of extra effort.
03 -
- Let the onion cook slowly at the start because patience here builds a sweetness that no amount of later seasoning can replicate.
- A squeeze of lemon juice right at the end brightens everything and makes the pea flavor pop in a way that surprises people every time.