Broccoli and pea soup is an effortless and delicious way to eat healthy vegetables in one tasty meal. Make it for lunch, or dinner, it's great for batch cooking and freezing - not just in spring and before Easter but all year round!
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Why To Love This Broccoli And Pea Soup
There are a few good reasons to give this delicious and comforting soup a go!
Firstly, it is such a simple recipe - everyone can do it! The ingredient list is pretty short too. To make it creamy, you will need an immersion blender (hand-held) or a food processor. However, you can also serve it chunky - just cut the broccoli into smaller florets, and you will get a beautiful-looking hearty soup. Alternatively, cook the soup a little bit longer, and when all of the vegetables are soft, carefully push them through a sieve into a large bowl - this will de facto cream it. You can also use a potato masher to mash the veggies, do it carefully to avoid any spillages.
Secondly, this cream of broccoli soup with peas is healthy and filling, packed with vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and a great source of fiber. You can use either fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables.
Thirdly, this soup is fantastic for batch cooking and making ahead. It freezes well and is easy to transport in a lunch box (so that your colleagues can wow you).
Lastly, creamy soups like this one taste really well with a slice of homemade garlic bread.
If you are looking for more comforting soup recipes, try also this easy tomato soup, warming pumpkin soup, mushroom and cauliflower soup or potato and mushroom soup.
Fancy a hearty soup instead? Then check out my take on borscht, yellow split pea soup, or Czech cabbage soup.
Key Ingredients For Broccoli And Pea Soup
This creamy broccoli soup with peas contains many healthy ingredients. Here are the main heroes of the recipe:
- Broccoli is a true superfood. Broccoli is rich in vitamins (B, C, K), minerals (potassium, calcium, folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, selenium, and zinc), and fiber. It may help prevent cancer, and supports heart, brain, eye and bone health. Broccoli also has anti-inflammatory properties and contains antioxidants, which help detox (clean) your body. Either fresh or frozen broccoli will work in this soup recipe.
- (Green) Garden peas is another humble vegetable that is, in fact, a superfood too. Green pea is a source of many valuable nutrients, vitamins (A, B, C, K), minerals (ie. folic acid), fiber, protein and antioxidants. It is beneficial to gut, and heart health, and also has anti-cancerous properties. Use fresh, frozen, or canned peas in this recipe.
- Spinach is one more green addition to this vegetable soup mix. Its dark green color adds to the vibrance of this soup, but not only that - it also comes with a boost of important nutrients like iron, manganese, folate, vitamins A, B2, B6, C, and vitamin E, calcium and potassium, all of which together help support our immune system, bone and heart health, and help reduce blood pressure. Spinach is also rich in antioxidants, has anti-cancerous properties, and helps fight inflammation, to name just a few of the many ways it can boost our health. Fresh and frozen spinach are both fine for this recipe.
And, of course, every soup needs basic like:
- Onion and garlic are two pantry staples that make every soup taste wonderful, including this one. Onions are packed with antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. They are also rich in vitamin C, prebiotics and fiber. Garlic helps boost your immune system too, and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties and is full of antioxidants. Add it towards the end of the cooking process to make the most of its health benefits.
- Chicken stock adds moisture and flavor to the soup. Go for low sodium one if you can.
- You will need a small amount of rapeseed oil, or olive oil for frying, and salt and black pepper for seasoning.
Finally, you can serve this soup with:
- creme fraiche,
- micro herbs (cress, watercress, pea shoots), or herbs like parsley, basil, mint, or dill,
- a slice of homemade garlic bread.
For exact measurements and quantities, please see the recipe card.
Looking for more recipes with these superfoods? Try this broccoli and smoked salmon quiche, broccoli and anchovies salad. Spinach lovers will appreciate this creamed spinach and salmon pasta or creamy spinach soup.
Substitutions & Variations
There are a few ingredients in this soup that can be easily replaced by similar items. These are my suggestions:
- Use petite peas (petit poa) - frozen, canned, or fresh ones will do.
- Add kale instead of spinach - wash the leaves properly, and remove all tough stalks.
- Swap chicken stock for vegan-friendly vegetable stock, to make this soup veggie.
- For serving, use natural or Greek yogurt, and single, or double cream instead of creme fraiche. Add their plant-based alternatives for a vegan soup.
All of these ingredients can be added in a 1:1 ratio (like for like). Check the seasoning before serving.
Method
This broccoli, pea and spinach soup takes only a few easy steps and is ready in under 30 minutes! Here is how to make it:
- Fry the onion and garlic - this will give the soup an amazing taste and aroma.
- Dice the broccoli and fry it with the onion.
- Add stock and cook until the broccoli is soft, add peas and spinach. Cook for a little while.
- Blend all of the ingredients and serve with creme fraiche, micro-herbs and enjoy!
All exact quantities and detailed steps can be found in the recipe card below this article.
Top Tips
- To keep the color rich and vibrant, only cook the veg for the short amount of time recommended in the recipe. Do not overcook it. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice after you blended the soup, to help it stop turning brown.
- To prevent the soup from splitting (separating), add any dairy just before serving. Avoid adding it before freezing.
Storage
This delicious creamy broccoli and pea soup will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep it in an airtight food container, and reheat it completely before serving.
As I mentioned before, this soup is also great for making ahead and for batch cooking. Do not add any dairy before freezing it, to prevent it from separating. Scale it up or down as you need to, leave it to cool down, and store it in a freezer-safe food container. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 6 months. Cook straight from frozen or leave to thaw in the fridge overnight (see instructions below). Do not re-freeze it after defrosting.
Reheating
This chilled (from the fridge) broccoli soup with peas and spinach can be reheated on a hob or in a microwave.
To reheat a cold soup on a stovetop (hob), pour it into a large enough pot, set on medium heat and slowly bring it to a simmer. Cook for at least 5 minutes, stirring regularly. This method is great when reheating larger amounts of soup (2+ portions).
You can also reheat a frozen soup on the stovetop (hob). Transfer the (solid) frozen soup into a large pot, and set it on medium heat. It will take some time to defrost (between 5-10 minutes), when all of the soup turned liquid, leave it to simmer for another 5 minutes on low heat. Keep an eye on it, and stir it regularly to prevent any burns from the bottom of the pan. If the soup looks too thick, add a small amount of water, and leave to simmer gently for another minute.
When reheating this soup in a microwave, pour it into microwave-friendly soup bowls, and reheat it for about 3-5 minutes, or until the soup is hot. This way is good for reheating individual portions of the soup.
Do not reheat frozen soup in a microwave, instead, leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat it.
FAQs
Peas soup can be a delicious, healthy and nutritious meal. Green pea is a source of many vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and also antioxidants. It is beneficial to the gut, and heart health, and also has anti-cancerous properties. It helps lower blood pressure, as long as it is made with minimum added salt, fat, and sugars.
If the soup appears too thick, add half a cup of cold water (125ml), stir it, and simmer for a minute. Add more water if needed and repeat until you get desired consistency.
A soup that is too thin (too runny) can be fixed by adding 2 tablespoons of plain flour mixed with 100ml water. Add the smooth mix to the soup, stir thoroughly, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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📖 The Recipe
Broccoli and Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon rapeseed oil, or olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 350 g broccoli, fresh, or frozen
- 280 g garden peas, fresh, frozen, or canned
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1.2l chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 100 g spinach, fresh, or frozen
For serving (optional)
- 250 ml creme fraiche, or cream, or plain yogurt
- handful cress, or other micro-herbs
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the rapeseed oil into a large pot, and set on medium heat. When hot, add chopped onion and fry it until soft and glossy (3-4 minutes). Add chopped garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Cut the broccoli into small florets and dice the stalk, removing and tough parts. Add the broccoli piece to the pot and fry it with the onion for 2 minutes.
- Add stock, cover with a lid and cook until the broccoli is soft. Add peas and cook for 3 minutes. Add spinach. Cook for further 2 minutes.
- Blend with an immersion blender until the soup is completely smooth. Taste, and season with salt and black pepper if needed. Serve with creme fraiche, micro-herbs, and with a slice of garlic bread on a side (optional).
Notes
- Petite peas - frozen, canned, or fresh ones,
- Kale instead of spinach,
- Use vegetable stock,
- Add natural or Greek yogurt, or single, or double cream,
- Herbs for serving: basil, mint, dill.
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