Spring Green Pea Soup
Celebrate spring with a fresh, vibrant bowl of bright Green Pea Soup. This isn’t the heavy, slow-simmered split pea soup of winter—this version is light, velvety, and bursting with the gentle sweetness of fresh peas. A handful of basil adds a subtle herbal note, while a touch of apple cider vinegar keeps the flavors lively. It’s simple, pure, and deeply satisfying.
With a base of sautéed leeks and tender potatoes, this soup blends into a luxuriously smooth texture without needing any cream. Whether you use fresh peas at their peak or rely on frozen for convenience, the result is a thick, creamy bowl of springtime comfort.
Serve it warm for a cozy meal or chilled for a refreshing twist. A dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of blanched peas on top make for a stunning finish—perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to something special.
If you love spring soup recipes, you've got to try this curried carrot soup or dairy-free potato soup next!
Sweet Pea Soup Ingredients + Substitutions
- Leek: These bring a mild onion flavor to the soup. You can swap with shallots or the whites of green onions. If you use regular onion, use about a half cup so the flavor isn't too strong.
- Potato: The potato creates the consistency of the soup giving a bit more weight and body, and making it creamier. Stick with an all-purpose potato such as a Russet or Yukon gold and avoid using red potatoes which don't blend as well.
- Green peas: This recipe works great with either fresh or frozen. I love to make this soup in the springtime when green peas are in season, but frozen peas make this vegetable soup easy to make anytime of year. Fresh peas do need to cook a few minutes longer than frozen green peas.
- Broth: My preference is using homemade veggie broth. Making my own broth means I get to control the sodium. Store-bought soup or chicken soup works well too. Avoid using bouillon if you can as it's quite salty.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a bit of brightness to the soup. Apple cider vinegar is milder than other types of vinegars so be careful with substituting it. You want it to add flavor to the soup but not be overpowering.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil adds a punch of flavor! Tarragon and mint also work well. I highly recommend sticking with fresh herbs for the best flavor.
- Garnish: I love having some blanched peas, tiny basil leaves, and a drizzle of yogurt on the soup to upgrade the presentation!
Check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and quantities of each one.
How to Make Green Pea Soup
This green pea soup recipe goes together in a flash! Gather all your ingredients, a soup pot, a blender, and let's start cooking!
Step 1: Soften the leeks. Cook the leeks in olive oil until soft. Stir frequently and keep the heat around medium to avoid burning the leeks.
Step 2: Cook the potato. Add the potatoes and vegetable broth. Cover with lid and cook for 10-15 minutes over medium heat or until potato is almost fork tender. It's going to continue to cook a bit longer so they don't need to be cooked all the way.
Step 3: Add the peas. Add the peas to the pot and cook for another 3-6 minutes.
Step 4: Cool and blend. Allow the soup to cool a bit and then transfer the soup to a blender. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in batches. Add the vinegar, salt, pepper, and basil to the soup mixture. Blend until smooth and creamy. I always start on slow speed and then increase it to avoid splashes.
Step 5: Season and finish. Return the soup to the pot. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste.
Handy Tip: Blending Creamy Pea Soup
You can use an immersion blender if you choose but I was able to blend the soup creamier with a regular blender. The longer and higher speed you blend the soup, the creamier the soup gets.
Dietary Modifications & Variations
This spring pea soup is naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free but here are a few easy changes you can use to change up the soup.
- Creamier Version: Swap out a cup of the broth for milk, heavy cream, or canned coconut milk for a luscious creamy pea soup.
- Other Green Veggies: This soup works well with other green vegetables too such as broccoli florets, zucchini, and asparagus.
- Green Machine Pea Soup: Add in a handful or two of spinach or kale to boost the greens and deepen the color.
- Lemony Pea Soup: Swap the vinegar for lemon juice and add some lemon zest too.
Soup-er Toppings & Serving Suggestions
- Feel free to experiment with other topping on your pea soup. Red pepper flakes, olive oil, croutons with cornbread, regular croutons, fresh herbs, and oyster rackers are all great options.
- This green pea soup recipe is more of a side dish vegetable soup. You can easily add it to any meal as a veggie side dish or enjoy it as a starter for a spring brunch, Easter lunch, or Mother's Day event.
- For a light lunch, it pairs great with some pumpkin corn muffins, a grilled cheese, or a prosciutto sandwich.
Expert Tips
- Storing: Store your cooled soup in the refrigerator for up to four days. This soup also freezes and reheats well. Store in individual servings using Souper Cubes or small containers so you can remove a serving at a time. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add some water or broth to thin it out.
- Adding a yogurt drizzle: If you want to drizzle some yogurt on top, it helps to thin it out a bit more with some milk or water so it easily drips from the spoon.
- Adjust the consistency: The soup is thick and creamy, however if you prefer it to have a little texture you can pulse in short bursts instead of blending. If you want it ultra creamy and a bit thinner, run the blended soup through a fine sieve and then add water or broth as needed to thin out the soup to your desired consistency.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Use the saute setting to cook the leeks. Then add the broth, potato, and peas to the Instant Pot. Cook under pressure for four minutes and release the pressure immediately. Cool the soup slightly and then continue with blending and finishing the soup.
To blanch fresh peas to garnish your soup, bring a cup of water to a boil. Then add the peas and cook to desired consistency. I like mine a little crisp and cooked for about 3 minutes. Transfer them immediately to an ice water bath to cool. If using frozen peas, you can simply thaw them out to add as a garnish.
More Vegetable Soup Recipes
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Creamy Green Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large leek white and white-green parts only, chopped small
- 1 medium potato peeled and diced into small cubes
- 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 ½ pound fresh peas or frozen
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 handful fresh basil plus more chopped for garnish, mint and tarragon for a slightly different flavor profile
- Blanched peas and yogurt for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add leeks and cook for 5-6 minutes or until soft.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large leek
- Add potatoes and vegetable stock. Cover with lid and cook for 10-15 minutes over medium heat or until potato is almost fork tender. Add peas and cook for another 3-6 minutes.1 medium potato, 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, 1 ½ pound fresh peas
- Transfer to blender in batches if necessary add vinegar, salt, pepper, and basil. Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to start slow and then speed it up to avoid splashes. Return soup to pot. Taste and adjust seasonings.1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, 1 handful fresh basil
- Serve soup up in bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of blanched peas (if using frozen, you can simply thaw them out), more fresh basil, and a drizzle of yogurt.Blanched peas and yogurt for garnish
Recipe Tips
- Replace some of the broth with half and half, canned coconut milk, or whole milk for a creamier consistency.
- Blend less if you want a bit more texture in your soup. For an even lighter consistency, you can strain out any remaining solids using a fine sieve.
- If you are using fresh peas they will take a little longer to cook. I they needed to cook about 6 minutes while the frozen peas were ready in about 3 minutes.
- To blanch peas, add the fresh peas to boiling hot water and cook for 2 minutes. Strain and plunge in ice cold water to stop cooking.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do! It's so easy to make and it makes a great veggie side dish for meals. It's so creamy, yet not too filling, with the flavors of spring peas!