Pea Soup
I’d say that about weekly (maybe every two weeks), I make a soup, and frequently, it’s a vegetable soup. Vegetables soups are simple, delicious and a great way to get more healthy food in the belly…especially if you’re one (like me) who’d generally rather have another piece of bacon than another piece of broccoli. Here, I show you how to make a pea soup, that I think you are going to love. This version is blended to a smooth silky texture, and has a vibrant green color that is absolutely beautiful. There are surprisingly few ingredients for this pea soup recipe, and it can be made in about 30 minutes…but you’ll certainly find that the flavors pop. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Recipe Overview & Keys to Success
To make the best Pea Soup, there are just a few cooking techniques you should follow:
- While optional if you want to keep the soup vegetarian, I start mine with some bacon. Peas and pork are a natural combo, and the sautéed bacon gives the soup a slightly salty, smoky undertone that really pumps up the flavor and complexity.
- Balance is super important in this, and just about all simple soups, so taste frequently. You need to get the right about of seasoning (salt and pepper). You can use a bit of lemon juice to bump up the acid. Or a bit of cream to provide richness and more mouth feel
- If you’re cooking ahead of time, chill the soup as quickly as possible, to help maintain the vibrant green color. Green vegetables turn dull in the heat, and the longer it sits around at high temperature, the more color (although not the flavor) will fade out on you.
RECIPE FOR PEA SOUP
Ingredients for Pea Soup (for 4)
- 2 slices of thick cut bacon or pancetta; diced
- 1 yellow onion – coarsely chopped
- 2 - 3 cups of frozen peas
- 1 celery rib coarsely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves coarsely chopped or crushed
- 1.5 quarts of chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- 1 lemon for the zest
- Salt & pepper
Pea Soup
- Chop and then sauté the bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crisp
- Add the chopped onion, celery, garlic along with salt and pepper, stir and continue to sauté until the onions are softened
- Add in the thyme and stir, then add the peas
- Cover with the chicken stock and allow it to come to a simmer
- Simmer for 5 – 8 minutes
- Add half the mint, and then puree until smooth
- Taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning, add more mint if desired and blend again
- Add the cream (optional) and stir to combine
Serve it up. I like mine with some garlic croutons, or I also like to garnish with a bit more mint and/or lemon zest shaved over the top
Wine Recommendation: Soups are always a bit tough to pair with wine. For most green vegetable soups like this, I think you can go into two directions. The first is a Sauvignon Blanc which is nice and grassy - maybe one from New Zealand. I also think you can go with a German Riesling or Raverstraminer wine. Both are very fruti forward, with good acidity that should pair nicely with the pea soup.
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