Fresh Pea Soup
Silky fresh pea soup recipe with tips for blending, using frozen peas, thickness, storage, and serving ideas.
The perfect recipe for English shelling peas.
- Blend hot soup in small batches with a towel over the lid and only 1/4 cup capacity to avoid splatters and steam accidents.
- Fresh or frozen peas both work; strain for a silky texture and gently simmer the strained soup for about 30 minutes to deepen flavor.
- Thicken with a boiled potato, swap ingredients for vegetarian versions, and store chilled for 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
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Preparation Instructions:
In a nice heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the minced shallots in the butter until nearly transparent. Add the peas, carrot juice, wine and the broth - simmer until the peas are tender. Stir in all the herbs, salt, pepper, bay leaves and the remaining butter. Simmer for about 5 minutes to incorporate the flavors. Remove bay leaves before blending.
Set up your blender, and a bowl or basin with a strainer. Get a kitchen towel to put over the blender! Don’t try and be clever with this. You really, really do want to put that kitchen towel over the top of the blender, before hitting the ‘On’ switch. Hold the top on really, really tight. Then go ‘Low’, then to ‘High’. Never, NEVER, fill your blender more than 1/4 full of hot soup! Unless, of course, you want to clean it off the ceiling and walls.
Process, in batches, to very silky smoothness. Now, you can quit here and serve. But if you’re trying to impress the guests, go the rest of the way with the strainer. Some thickish solids will remain in the strainer after each batch. That will go back into the blender with any remaining broth for a final blend at high speed. I’m going for every last drop of flavor!
Take your strained soup, and add it back into the pot to barely simmer for about 30 minutes. Don’t let it boil. And now, is the time to adjust your seasonings.
This soup can make a meal, especially when paired up with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. For purposes of plating for a nice presentation, I put crumbled goat cheese in the bottom of each bowl - ladle in the hot soup, and then top with the snipped chives. You could also top it with buttered croutons, sour cream, and pickled radish.
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More About This Recipe
This recipe is designed for English shelling peas. If you're shelling your own peas, you'll need to start with about 15 cups of pods to get three cups shelled. If you’ve miscalculated and don’t have enough fresh peas, simply make up the difference with frozen peas. In fact, this can be made with frozen peas, too. If you want a bit thicker soup, add a potato to it. Simply cut up a peeled russet potato into small dice, boil until very tender, and add to the peas in the blender.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen peas instead of fresh?
Yes. Frozen peas are a great substitute. Use the same volume, cook until tender, then blend. Frozen peas may need slightly less cooking time than fresh.
How do I avoid a blender steam explosion?
Only fill the blender about 1/4 full with hot soup, cover the lid with a kitchen towel and hold it down, and start blending on low before going to high. Blend in batches.
How can I make the soup thicker or thinner?
For thicker soup, add a peeled, diced russet potato boiled until very soft and blend. For thinner soup, stir in more broth or water a little at a time and recheck seasoning.
Can I make this soup vegetarian or vegan?
Yes. Use vegetable broth and replace butter with olive oil or a plant-based butter. Omit or swap goat cheese for a vegan alternative at serving.
How long can I store or freeze the soup?
Refrigerate in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently over low heat without boiling.
What if I run out of fresh shelling peas while shelling pods?
Shelling yields vary. As a guideline, about 15 cups of pods yields roughly 3 cups of shelled peas. If you need more, top up with frozen peas to reach the recipe quantity.
Can I skip the white wine or carrot juice?
Yes. Omit the wine and replace the liquid with a bit more broth or a splash of white wine vinegar. For carrot juice, you can use blended cooked carrot or leave it out; it adds sweetness and color.
How should I serve and garnish this soup?
Serve hot with crumbled goat cheese and snipped chives, or use buttered croutons, sour cream, or pickled radish. Pair it with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich to make a meal.
Can I use frozen peas instead of fresh?
Yes. Frozen peas are a great substitute. Use the same volume, cook until tender, then blend. Frozen peas may need slightly less cooking time than fresh.
How do I avoid a blender steam explosion?
Only fill the blender about 1/4 full with hot soup, cover the lid with a kitchen towel and hold it down, and start blending on low before going to high. Blend in batches.
How can I make the soup thicker or thinner?
For thicker soup, add a peeled, diced russet potato boiled until very soft and blend. For thinner soup, stir in more broth or water a little at a time and recheck seasoning.
Can I make this soup vegetarian or vegan?
Yes. Use vegetable broth and replace butter with olive oil or a plant-based butter. Omit or swap goat cheese for a vegan alternative at serving.
How long can I store or freeze the soup?
Refrigerate in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently over low heat without boiling.
What if I run out of fresh shelling peas while shelling pods?
Shelling yields vary. As a guideline, about 15 cups of pods yields roughly 3 cups of shelled peas. If you need more, top up with frozen peas to reach the recipe quantity.
Can I skip the white wine or carrot juice?
Yes. Omit the wine and replace the liquid with a bit more broth or a splash of white wine vinegar. For carrot juice, you can use blended cooked carrot or leave it out; it adds sweetness and color.
How should I serve and garnish this soup?
Serve hot with crumbled goat cheese and snipped chives, or use buttered croutons, sour cream, or pickled radish. Pair it with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich to make a meal.
mmmm enjoy nice pea soup when it’s cold outside
This very recipe is really helpful! I’ve made the soup in a multi cooker ( we’ve got Redmond m90) – the taste was phenomenal!