Spring Pea Soup with Mint (Print Version)
Bright peas combined with mint and rich crème fraîche for a fresh, easy-to-make spring dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 4 cups fresh or frozen green peas
05 - 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
→ Herbs and Seasonings
06 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, packed, plus more for garnish
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Finishing
09 - 1/2 cup crème fraîche, plus more for serving
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
# How-To Steps:
01 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
03 - Stir in peas and vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes (5–6 minutes if using fresh peas), until peas are tender and bright green.
04 - Remove from heat. Add mint leaves, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
05 - Purée the soup using an immersion blender or carefully in batches with a countertop blender until silky smooth.
06 - Stir in the crème fraîche until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche and extra mint leaves.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It demands almost nothing from you while delivering something that looks like you trained in Lyon.
- The mint does something unpredictable to the sweetness of peas that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what the secret is.
02 -
- Blending hot liquid in a sealed countertop blender will explode upward with force that burns and stains, so vent the lid and work in small batches.
- Fresh peas that have sat in your refrigerator for more than two days lose their sugar and become starchy, so either use them immediately or default to frozen.
03 -
- If your finished soup tastes flat, it almost always needs more salt or more acid, never more mint.
- Freeze any leftover crème fraîche in tablespoon portions; it thaws quickly and saves you from buying a new container for this single recipe.