Pea Soup Classic Hearty (Printer-friendly)
Silky green pea soup with sauteed aromatics, fresh parsley and a swirl of creme fraiche; serve with crusty bread.
# What You 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 (about 1 lb 2 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 Toppings
11 - Crème fraîche or plain yogurt (for topping)
12 - Croutons or crusty bread
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in the garlic, carrots, and 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 and simmer for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
04 - Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth, or transfer in batches to a standard blender and blend until silky.
05 - Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in the chopped parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Heat through if needed.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with a swirl of crème fraîche or yogurt and extra parsley if desired. Serve with croutons or crusty bread on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It costs almost nothing to make yet tastes like something from a restaurant that cares deeply about every spoonful.
- The whole thing comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your kitchen.
02 -
- Blending hot soup in a standard blender can be dangerous if you fill it too full, so always work in small batches and hold the lid down firmly with a towel.
- A pinch of smoked paprika or a few fresh mint leaves stirred in at the end transforms the entire personality of this soup into something unexpected.
03 -
- Fresh peas are glorious in late spring but frozen peas are actually sweeter because they are frozen within hours of picking, so never feel guilty using them.
- The soup tastes even better the next day because the flavors settle and deepen overnight, so making it ahead is not just acceptable but actually recommended.