Vegetarian Green Pea and Mint Soup
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A Minty Twist on Pea Soup
Green peas and fresh mint pair perfectly in this springtime soup. The taste of green pea and mint soup is very different from a salty split pea soup or a bacon-flavored stew. There's no meat involved, and there's no seasoning other than fresh herbs.
This is a vegetarian recipe with lots of flavor. Thanks to the mint, it's a rare warm soup that happens to be as refreshing as it is satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 1 (16-ounce) package of fresh or frozen green peas
- 3 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 2 sprigs of fresh mint (or about 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves)
- 2 tablespoons of cream or half and half
Kithen Supplies
- Knife and cutting surface
- Large stew pot
- Long-handled spoon for stirring
- Blender
Instructions
- Chop the onion into small chunks.
- Thoroughly brown the onion in the butter over low heat.
- When the onion is soft, add the water and the frozen peas.
- Cook the peas for over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add more water if it's needed to keep the peas covered.
- Remove the peas from the stove and add the fresh mint. Allow the soup to cool until it is lukewarm.
- Carefully pour part of the soup into the blender. Blend the soup until it is smooth.
- Finish blending the rest of the soup and reheat it, if necessary.
- Add the cream and serve. Garnish with fresh mint.
Note: Be very cautious when blending warm liquids. A painful KABOOM! of hot soup is possible. (Don't fill the blender more than halfway at once, and don't clamp the lid on tightly.)
Photo Guide
Variations
- Make it with meat: If you don't care one way or the other about eating meat, this recipe also works with chicken broth instead of water. Make sure to use a lightly seasoned and lightly salted chicken broth—it's easier to appreciate the pairing of peas and mint that way.
- Skip the dairy: This soup is still tasty if you leave out the cream. If you do this, you may want to use a little less water or a little more onion to keep the soup from being too thin.
Comments
E. A. Wright (author) from New York City on July 02, 2010:
Thanks, Angelique!
Angelique Loux from Ohio on July 02, 2010:
I'll try it. Great Hub. Keep up the good work.