Easy Pea and Mint Soup Recipe (A British Classic)

September 5, 2022September 6, 2022 Stan

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Vertical image of two bowls of Pea and Mint Soup on a black background with spoons and bread | Hurry The Food Up

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.

Ingredients for Pea and Mint Soup laid out on a wooden background, including peas, mint, shallots and oil | Hurry The Food Up

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

One serving of this mint soup recipe contains:

kcal 234kcal

Carbs 34g

Fat 8g

Protein 9g

This soup is egg free, gluten free, dairy free and vegan!

Ingredients for Pea and Mint Soup in a blender, ready to be pureed, shot from above | Hurry The Food Up

Ingredients for Pea and Mint Soup pureed in a blender and shot from above | Hurry The Food Up

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.

Consuming plenty of protein while losing weight is important because your body uses the amino acids in protein to build lean muscle. This makes you more toned while also burning calories even when you’re not active.

Check out our high protein meal plan to take the hassle out of meal planning, and to keep on track with your weight loss goals.

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.

Aerial shot of two bowls of green pea and mint soup, on a black background seasoned with salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil | Hurry The Food Up

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.