Pea Soup with Herbs (Printer-Friendly)
Silky pea purée with sautéed onion, carrots and herbs; ready in under an hour for a nourishing lunch or light dinner.
# 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 (about 500 g)
→ Liquids
07 - 4 cups vegetable broth (about 1 liter)
→ 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 Serving Accompaniments
11 - Crème fraîche or plain yogurt, for topping
12 - Croutons or crusty bread, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely 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 and release their aromas.
03 - Add the peas, vegetable broth, and dried thyme. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the peas are tender.
04 - Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a standard blender and blend until creamy.
05 - Return the blended 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 hot soup into bowls. Garnish with a swirl of crème fraîche or plain yogurt and a sprinkle of extra parsley if desired. Serve alongside croutons or crusty bread.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It takes almost no effort but tastes like you simmered it all day, which is the best kind of kitchen trickery.
- The color alone will make you feel virtuous, and the creamy texture without any cream feels like a small miracle.
02 -
- If you blend hot soup in a standing blender, never fill it more than halfway or the lid will pop off and you will be wearing your dinner.
- Straining the soup after blending takes it from really good to restaurant quality silky, and it is worth the extra two minutes.
03 -
- Use the best vegetable broth you can find or make your own, because the soup has so few ingredients that quality of each one shines through.
- Let the soup sit for ten minutes off the heat before serving, because the flavors settle and deepen in a way that immediate serving never allows.