Lunch: Minty Pea Soup

Recipe by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer This is a far cry from army-green split pea soup. Cooking the peas briefly retains their vibrant color, and the addition of fresh herbs keeps the finished soup looking and tasting bright. Delicious wa

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
6 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 6 pounds pods) or frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream or water
Chopped fresh chives (for serving)

Instructions

Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Add peas, reduce heat, and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes for fresh peas, about 2 minutes for frozen.
Remove pot from heat. Add parsley, mint, and remaining 2 cups broth to pot. Purée soup in a blender or with an immersion blender, thinning with water if soup is too thick, until smooth. Season soup with salt and pepper.
Whisk crème fraîche and cream in a small bowl to blend. Serve warm soup topped with chives, passing crème fraîche mixture alongside for spooning over.

Share Minty Pea Soup