Easy Pea and Mint Soup Recipe (A British Classic)
- Updated on Sep 05, 2022
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This delicate pea and mint soup is a British classic. Use fresh or frozen sweet peas to keep the colour a vibrant green and the flavours light and refreshing.
This also happens to be one of our favourite vegan soup recipes and is perfect as a starter for a dinner party, or by itself with bread or a side salad.
Pea and Mint Soup Ingredients
Peas
Frozen or fresh peas are fine, because most peas are snap frozen you won’t lose any taste or flavour.
Fresh Mint
I haven’t noticed a difference if you add the mint at the beginning or the end, so do as you wish, but be sure to use fresh mint leaves rather than dried for the vibrancy of flavour.
Shallots
I use shallots but yellow onion, red onion or spring onions also work well in this soup recipe, each lends the soup a slightly different flavour.
Garlic
The garlic in this green pea soup is entirely optional but I love how it adds another tang of flavour to this simple soup.
Vegetable Broth
I recommend using vegetable stock for the perfect soup, but if you’re not veggie and prefer a meatier flavour, chicken stock is always an option.
How many calories are in pea and mint soup?
This pea and mint soup is one of the best summer soups for a filling but not overly heavy meal.
Although this pea and mint soup only contains 234 kcal per serving, each bowl packs 9 grams of protein (it’s one of our favorite filling low calorie soups!)
One serving of this mint soup recipe contains:
This soup is egg free, gluten free, dairy free and vegan!
Health Benefits of Pea and Mint Soup
The health benefits of this fresh pea soup are numerous. You might not think of peas as a great source of nutrition because they’re so small and often served up as a plain, unseasoned side.
However, peas actually contain plenty of zinc and vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants that help strengthen your immune system.
Like carrots, peas also contain carotenoids that protect your eyes from chronic diseases such as cataracts. Pretty impressive for such a small legume, huh?
Meanwhile, mint, the other key player in this delicious soup, also boats benefits for those who may suffer digestive issues. Mint has been used medicinally for centuries to soothe indigestion and IBS by regulating muscle relaxation and controlling inflammation.
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I like to make a big batch of this soup and enjoy it throughout the week as a delicious meal on busy weeknights. However, if you’ve got some to spare, this soup freezes well and is one of my favourite healthy recipes that can warmed on the hob in a jiffy.
How to Make the Best Pea and Mint Soup
- Prep work: Finely chop the mint leaves, and the shallot and garlic if you’re using them. Alternatively, use a food processor to blend the ingredients into fine bits.
- Cooking: Heat the olive oil over a low heat in a small pan and add the finely chopped or blended ingredients. Leave the pan on a gentle simmer for a few minutes until the chopped onions turn translucent. Add the peas and broth and allow to simmer for another fifteen minutes. Now blend the soup until it’s creamy, ideally with an immersion blender. If a stick blender or hand blender is all you have in your kitchen, this will also work.
- Serving: Season with salt, black pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Check out the recipe card for further instructions, but this pea and mint soup really is this simple!
Pea and Mint Soup FAQs
Can I make this soup ahead?
This pea and mint soup is a great recipe to make ahead of time, and in fact, tastes better the next day as the flavours have more time to develop.
How to store and re-heat?
Store this soup in the fridge overnight and reheat by transferring it into a large saucepan on the hob, on a low to medium heat until the soup is heated through.
What to serve with pea and mint soup?
Serve this pea and mint soup with a hunk of crusty bread, or as a starter before a summer salad main.
How can I make my pea soup taste better?
Always use fresh herbs, rather than dried, for a fuller flavour, and use a blender to purée soup for a smoother, silkier texture.
Is pea soup good for diets?
Yes, this pea soup is great for losing weight. Despite being amongst the thinner soups in our repertoire, it is nonetheless filling with a whopping nine grams of protein per serving.
Pea and Mint Soup Variations and Alternatives
Look out for petit pois since small, sweet peas are best for flavour.
I recommend using olive oil in this soup for its rich flavour and health benefits, however, you could also melt butter to fry the mint, onions and garlic, or vegan butter to keep this recipe vegan.
If you’re not vegan, and fancy a heavier, creamier soup, try adding some sour cream or creme fraiche.
Finally, consistency is key to a good soup (which is why I recommend blending the mixture), so if you prefer your soup thinner, add a little water in with the broth.
Onions vs Shallots
While this recipe recommends using shallots, you may be asking yourself ‘Can I just use onions instead?’
The short answer is yes, but be aware that there are some differences between them.
Shallots have a much more delicate taste than onions, to the extent that some recipes ask you to use them raw.
The layers of a shallot are also finer than those of an onion which makes them easier to puree in this pea and mint soup.
However, if you only have onions to hand, these will work, just consider adjusting the amount you add so as not to overpower the other flavours in this soup.
More Soup Recipes
For more tasty soups, check out this high protein creamy vegan cauliflower soup, and this Vietnamese noodle soup.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 sprigs mint, fresh
- 6 shallots (feel free to use white, red or spring onions too)
- 4 clove garlic
- 3 cups peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Finely chop the shallot, mint and garlic. Alternatively blend into fine bits with a food processor.3 sprigs mint, fresh, 6 shallots, 4 clove garlic
- Heat the olive oil over low heat in a small pot and add the mint, shallot and garlic mix.1 tbsp olive oil
- Let it cook softly for about 2-3 minutes, until the shallots turn translucent.
- Next, add the peas and broth. Give it a little stir and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.3 cups peas, 2 cups vegetable broth
- Now blend the soup until it’s creamy, ideally with an immersion blender.
- Optional: In a small pan roast the pumpkin seeds on medium heat. No oil needed.2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- Season with salt, pepper, sprinkle in pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of olive oil.
NOTES
Nutrition
If you enjoyed the delicate flavours of fresh summer peas and fragrant mint in this quick and delicious soup, give this recipe a star rating or let us know in the comments!
Dave
I’m not a foodie, although I do love eating. I believe food should serve us and our goals, not hinder. Taking control and responsibility for what I eat is important to me.
Comments
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22 comments
Love how so few ingredients can bring so much big flavor!
Definitely did not originate in Quebec Newfoundland is likely the ‘origin’ of pea soup in canada, being the first place colonized, but it’s just a rendition of the Irish or Brit version as most of the people there are colonizers and settlers from those places originally.
I love pea soup, especially with a little mint, the flavors are perfect together. This looks and sounds perfect for a light spring meal.
Absolutely delicious. I’ve made this a few times now and it is one of my favourites. So easy to make with simple ingredients, yet so delicious and surprisingly creamy. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Looks delicious. I made pea soup for last thanksgiving and like to try out your version
Even though this has been around for a long time, I’ve never had pea and mint soup! Yours looks like an easy and tasty one to try first – love your bowls!
That sounds absolutely delicious. Bowl full of spring goodness!
I LOve pea soup! I’ve never had it with mint, but it sounds wonderful. I must try this. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Made it…..absolutely delicious. Can’t believe it tastes so creamy. Thank you for sharing….this is my goto recipe from now on.
Only because this is what I had in my cupboard…
I used a whole red onion, guessed how many fresh mint leaves to use for a tablespoon (I was generous) and maxed the garlic, coz I love. Then blitzed in a nutri blender.
So good to hear Beetroot!! Yes, quick, simple tasty this one 🙂
This looks fab! Fast, tasty veggie food – yesss! What I really want to do is sign up for your mailing list, so I hope this is how to do it 🙂 Thanks.
Hi Kathy! I’m glad you like the look 🙂
You can sign up right here! https://hurrythefoodup.com/hurrythefoodup-newsletter-sign-up/
I absolutely loved this soup! When I went to Britain and Ireland this summer I tried this soup for the first time and wanted to recreate this yummy soup! I added a bit more mint than suggested because I love mint! I also interchange the shallots for onions depending on what’s in my cabinet that day.
Yes, of course!! Glad you gave it a shot with onions and even better that it came out great!! Glad you liked it 😀
I came across this recipe while feeling nostalgic about the mint pea soup I associated with trips to the Lake District — not being able to travel these days, I wanted to recreate something from those happy old days! I was so happy that this indeed replicates the combination of flavors. And so easy! Highly recommend. This is such a nice, spring-like recipe — thank you!
Hi Rebecca! How funny – I was walking through a park yesterday with my son and he mentioned there were peas in his soup at school and it started me thinking about this recipe! I guess I need to make it again now! Glad you enjoyed it as well 🙂
Can this be served chilled?
Hi Sheila – good question! In all honestly, I’ve never tried it chilled. I would love to hear of any experiences though!
Easy quick and definitely delicious….
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed!!
Hi,
How much onion would you suggest substituting for the shallot?
Best Regards,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer! One onion should be plenty. If possible, try to use the mildest onion possible. Shallots tend to be quite sweet and mild, and that’s what we’re looking for here. If your onion doesn’t seem to be particularly mild, then I’d even drop down to a half. I hope that helps!