Green Pea Soup
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This light and flavorful pea soup, made with sweet peas and fresh basil, comes together in 35 minutes—perfect for a quick, delicious meal any time of year.
Most pea soups, like my traditional split pea soup, are made from dried peas and flavored with a ham bone, making them hearty and rich. This pea soup recipe is entirely different. Made with sweet peas (frozen, so it can be made year-round), fresh basil, lime, and vegetable broth, it’s light, bright and flavorful. The soup is delicious hot or cold and makes a satisfying light meal with some crusty bread.
Table of Contents
“Outstanding! We were licking our bowls!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Green Pea Soup
- Olive Oil: Adds a rich, smooth base for sautéing the shallots, enhancing the overall depth of flavor in the soup.
- Shallots: Provide a mild, sweet onion flavor that complements the peas without overpowering them.
- Vegetable Broth: Acts as the liquid foundation, adding savory depth while keeping the soup light and balanced.
- Frozen Peas: The star of the soup, giving it a bright, fresh flavor and vibrant green color.
- Salt & Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance the natural sweetness of the peas and bring balance to the dish.
- Fresh Basil: Adds a fragrant, herbaceous note that pairs perfectly with the sweet peas and gives the soup a fresh finish.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: Adds a savory, umami-rich depth to the soup, rounding out the flavors.
- Lime Juice: Brightens the soup with a touch of acidity, balancing the richness of the olive oil and cheese.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-low heat, and add the shallots.
Gently cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth, peas, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and lime juice.
Purée with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Be patient; peas take a long time to purée and you want it as smooth as possible. (If you don’t have a stick blender, let the soup cool slightly and purée it in batches in a blender. Be sure to crack the lid or remove the center cap to allow the steam to escape and cover with a dish towel so it won’t splatter.)
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, or chill and serve cold.
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Green Pea Soup
This light and flavorful pea soup, made with sweet peas and fresh basil, comes together in 35 minutes—perfect for a quick, delicious meal any time of year.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1¼ cups roughly chopped shallots, from 3 large shallots
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 pounds (6 cups) frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and gently cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not brown.
- Add the vegetable broth, peas, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, then add the basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and lime juice. Purée with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Be patient; you want it as smooth as possible. (If you don’t have a stick blender, let the soup cool slightly and purée it in batches in a blender. Be sure to crack the lid or remove the center cap to allow the steam to escape and cover with a dish towel so it won't splatter.) Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with more basil, if desired. (Alternatively, chill the soup and serve cold.)
- Note: This soup will thicken as it cools. If necessary, add a bit of water to thin to desired consistency.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 217
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 634 mg
- Cholesterol: 2 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I left out the cheese, only had chicken stock, otherwise followed your recipe to the book.
SO DARN GOOD.
As always. I ate a giant bowl, kiddo one ate a giant bowl, kiddo two didn’t pretend to gag- so that’s a giant win. Thanks for the awesome recipes time and time again!
Those are the same two changes I’m making tonight!
Hi Jenn,
Just wanted to say how much I’ve been loving your blended soups (including this one). I’ve been making most of my 10 month old son’s food and your soups have been great for easy lunches we both enjoy. We’ve made (and froze) your butternut squash and sweet potato soup (with coconut milk), black bean soup and this spring pea and basil soup. We make them with organic ingredients and freeze them for easy weekday lunches. Paired with a baked quinoa veggie ball and some fruit it makes a wonderful lunch for older babies and toddlers! Thank you for your great recipes!
Uhoh! I accidentally use different chicken broth instead of vegetable. Thoughts? How different will it taste?
That’s fine, Angela – it’ll be just as good!
This is delicious. This soup has a very fresh pea taste. Much better than using dried peas. The basil was a nice addition.
Hi Jennifer! After blending the soup with my stick blender, I was surprised by the amount of foam on top. I’m used to seeing that with split peas but was surprised to see it with frozen peas. Should I just spoon it off as best I can before serving the soup?
Hi Ann, the foam should dissipate a bit after it sits for a minute or two, but feel free to spoon any leftovers off the top. Enjoy!
I am hosting a luncheon for 25 ladies Can I make this two days in advance and store it in the fridge?
Sure- Just keep in mind that it will thicken up in the fridge; if necessary, add a bit of water to thin to desired consistency.
This is really one of my favorite soups. I am a soup freak and this one does not disappoint. So simple and so good. I follow the recipe exactly and it turns out perfect every time.
Can sweet onion be substituted for the shallot? Thanks.
Yes Deanie, I think you could get away with that.
A really beautiful spring/summer soup. Surprisingly complex flavor. While great hot, the flavor developed so much more overnight and was amazing cold.
So simple to make, healthful, colourful and just plain good.
Can I omit the cheese? I’m trying to go vegan and wondered if it will lose too much flavor?
Hi Lisa, Yes, it’s fine to omit the cheese, you might just need a bit more salt.