Perfect Pea Soup

Perfect Pea Soup is an amazing recipe that is ideal all year round. This is an ancient Italian / Greek recipe. However, pour it into a flask for a winter dog walk and everybody will be thanking you. The brilliant colour and flavour make this dish a winner. Serve as a soup, snack or starter. I flip between using chicken stock and vegetable stock making it vegetarian friendly.

There’s something wonderfully reassuring about a bowl of homemade soup. Perfect pea soup warms the hands, soothes the soul, and fills the kitchen with a comforting aroma that feels like home. One of the most delightfully simple yet satisfying soups you can make is Perfect Pea Soup. Despite its humble list of ingredients, this dish delivers a burst of fresh, earthy flavour that can lift your spirits on even the gloomiest of days. It’s easy to prepare, beautifully vibrant in colour, and can be enjoyed all year round — whether as a light lunch, a starter, or a wholesome supper.

The beauty of this soup lies in its simplicity. Using frozen peas makes it both convenient and consistent, ensuring a bright green colour and a sweet flavour every time. There’s no need to fuss with shelling fresh peas unless you want to — the frozen variety are just as nutritious and, when cooked properly, taste garden-fresh. The peas form the heart of the dish, while a few carefully chosen ingredients enhance their flavour without overshadowing it.

The base begins in a pan with a blend of butter and olive oil — the butter adds richness, while the oil helps prevent it from burning. Once melted together, finely chopped onion and celery are gently fried until softened. This step is key; it creates the flavour foundation of the soup. The onion brings sweetness, while the celery adds a gentle aromatic note that balances the peas’ natural sugar. When the vegetables begin to turn translucent, in goes the garlic and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley. It’s at this moment that the kitchen fills with a deliciously savoury scent, hinting at the flavours to come.

Then come the peas — a cheerful splash of green added to the mix. With just half a cup of water and a few ladles of chicken or vegetable stock, the ingredients simmer together briefly. The short cooking time, just one or two minutes, ensures the peas retain their vibrant colour and sweet taste. Overcooking would dull both, so keeping the simmer quick is the secret to that signature brightness.

Once the peas are tender, the mixture is transferred carefully to a blender and whizzed until smooth. This is where personal preference comes in. Some people like their pea soup silky and fine, while others prefer to leave a bit of texture. Either way, it’s worth blending in batches to keep things neat and safe. The result should be a luscious green liquid that pours back into the saucepan like velvet.

The final touch — and perhaps the most indulgent — for the perfect pea soup is a swirl of single cream. It’s not essential, but it gives the soup a luxurious finish and softens the edges of the peas’ sweetness. A final seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper ties everything together, allowing the delicate flavours to shine.

Served steaming hot, with a drizzle of cream across the top or a scattering of herbs for garnish, Perfect Pea Soup is a picture of simple elegance. It pairs beautifully with a slice of crusty bread or a toasted crouton for dipping. Some like to serve it chilled in summer, where it transforms into a refreshing, cooling starter — still vibrant, still comforting, but lighter on the palate.

What makes perfect pea soup truly special is its versatility. It can easily be adapted for different diets: swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock to make it vegetarian, or use a plant-based cream to make it completely vegan. You could even add a handful of fresh mint for a bright, fragrant twist or a sprinkle of crispy bacon on top for extra indulgence.

At its heart, Perfect Pea Soup is proof that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated. With just a handful of everyday ingredients and a few simple steps, you can create something that tastes fresh, wholesome, and deeply satisfying. Whether you’re cooking for family, friends, or just yourself, this soup never fails to please — a timeless reminder that the simplest dishes are often the most perfect.

Perfect Pea Soup

Perfect Pea Soup is a smooth, vibrant blend of sweet peas, onion, celery, and garlic, gently simmered in stock and finished with a swirl of cream. It’s a comforting, flavourful soup that’s both simple to make and delightfully elegant to serve.

4.67 from 101 votes

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Course: Snacks, Soup, Starter

Cuisine: Greek, Italian

Keyword: Dairy, Gluton Free, Healthy, Perfect Pea Soup, Soup, Stock, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 People

Calories: 356kcal

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Ingredients

 

• ▢ 6 cups peas I use frozen for ease
• ▢ 1 stalk celery
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic peel and finely chop
• ▢ 1 medium onion peel/chop
• ▢ 1 tbsp butter unsalted
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 1 tsp fresh parsley finely chop
• ▢ 4 cups chicken stock vegetable stock if going vegetarian
• ▢ ½ cup single cream
• ▢ salt to taste
• ▢ black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place a pan over a medium heat and add the unsalted butter and olive oil.
  1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil
• Once the butter has melted, add the celery and onion and fry until softened. It usually takes about 5 minutes.
  1 stalk celery, 1 medium onion
• Once soft, add the garlic and chopped parsley and stir in well.
  2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp fresh parsley
• When the smell of the garlic perfume hits you, add the peas and stir.
  6 cups peas
• Add the ½ cup of water and the chicken/vegetable stock and bring to a rolling simmer for 1 – 2 minutes until the peas are cooked.
  4 cups chicken stock, ½ cup water
• Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender (in batches) and blend until you get the consistency you like.
• Transfer the blended soup into a clean saucepan and warm though. Taste and season accordingly.
  salt, black pepper
• Serve the perfect pea soup immediately with a swirl or two of cream.
  ½ cup single cream

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 553mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 20389IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3mg