Spring Pea Soup with Mint (Printable View)
Velvety soup blending sweet peas, fresh mint, and creamy crème fraîche for a fresh, light meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 4 cups fresh or frozen shelled peas (approximately 1 lb)
06 - 4 cups vegetable broth (1 quart)
→ Herbs & Seasoning
07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish
08 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
10 - 4 tablespoons crème fraîche
11 - Zest of 1 lemon, optional
# Cooking Steps:
01 - In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and leek, and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the peas and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes if using fresh peas or 5 minutes if using frozen, until peas are tender and bright green.
04 - Remove from heat. Add the mint leaves.
05 - Using an immersion blender or working in batches with a countertop blender, purée the soup until completely smooth.
06 - Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of crème fraîche, a sprinkle of lemon zest if desired, and extra mint leaves. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you fussed over it for hours
- The color alone makes people happy before they even take a bite
- Leftovers keep beautifully for a quick tomorrow lunch
02 -
- Overcooking the peas will make them dull and gray so watch the timing carefully once theyre tender youre done
- Hot soup expands rapidly in a blender so never fill it more than half full and always vent the lid
- The crème fraîche should be room temperature so it swirls beautifully instead of clumping
03 -
- Make this a day ahead since the flavors develop and the texture becomes even more luxurious
- If using frozen peas dont bother defrosting first they cook fast enough from frozen