This refreshing fresh pea soup is a delicious way to celebrate spring! Made with fresh peas, a touch of coconut milk, and zesty herbs, it's full of flavor and perfect with a crusty piece of bread.
Last fall I shared a recipe for split pea soup. That's one of my fall and winter favorites! But when the weather starts to warm up and spring produce becomes available, I like to switch things up by making fresh pea soup.
Fresh Pea Soup vs. Split Pea Soup
If you enjoy split pea soup and the flavor of peas in general, you'll probably dig fresh pea soup. It's a little different from what you're used to though!
Fresh pea soup tastes like (surprise!) fresh peas, or frozen peas, if you've never had them fresh.
Whereas split pea soup has a naturally savory, almost smoky flavor, with a thick, hearty texture, fresh pea soup is smoother with a touch of sweetness. It's very refreshing, and perfect for that time of year when fresh peas start to become available.
How to Make Fresh Pea Soup
Fresh pea soup is really easy to make, and it cooks up much quicker than split pea soup.
Start by heating up some olive oil in a large pot. Add an onion and cook it for a few minutes to soften it up. Now add some garlic and cook everything for just a minute more.
Stir in some vegetable broth, coconut milk, and fresh peas. Raise the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Now lower the heat and let it simmer until the peas are tender — just 7 minutes or so.
Take the pot off of the burner and stir in some fresh herbs: parsley, mint, and scallions. Continue stirring until the herbs wilt.
Now it's time to blend the soup! Normally I'm a big fan of immersion blenders, but with fresh pea soup I prefer a food processor, as chasing each individual pea down can get a bit tedious. Blend the soup until it's smooth, then return it to the pot.
Thin the soup with some extra broth, if you'd like, and reheat it, if needed. Season it with some lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls and dig in!
Pea Soup Tips & FAQ
- Can this soup be made with frozen peas? I don't see why not! I'd recommend thawing them first, and cutting the simmer time to just a minute or two, until they soften.
- Leftover storage: leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
- Does this soup taste like coconut? I don't think so! If you hate the taste of coconut, try another non-dairy milk. Make sure it's unsweetened and unflavored, and preferably has some fat it in, like soy milk.
- Is this soup gluten-free? It is!
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📖 Recipe
Fresh Pea Soup with Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth (plus more, as needed)
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 6 cups shelled fresh peas (about 2 pounds)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped and packed
- ½ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook it for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.
- Stir in the broth, coconut milk, and peas. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer until the peas are tender and bright green, about 7 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the mint, parsley and scallions. Continue stirring until the herbs are fully wilted.
- Begin transferring the soup to a food processor or blender in batches, blending until smooth.
- Return the soup to the pot and reheat it if necessary.
- Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
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I just had this for lunch. I used frozen peas, dumped the whole can of coconut milk in, a tad less broth, and used an immersion blender. Yes, there were a couple of stray peas, but I’m ok with that. This is so delicious.
Made this last night and it was such a fresh lovely tasting soup. Halved the recipe as there was only two of us and it made enough for two very large bowls - served with crusty bread. Thanks for making pea soup enjoyable.