This creamy Green Pea Soup is a simple pea soup without ham, made with frozen peas, onions, lettuce, and fresh herbs. It cooks in about 20 minutes and has a clean, homemade flavor. It's great on its own or with a sandwich and big green salad.
Green Pea Soup is an easy, quick soup made with fresh or frozen peas, onion, garlic, and broth. Blend until smooth and finish with cream if you like it richer. It cooks in 20 minutes and makes a light, comforting meal that's great with a sandwich or salad.
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Made From Scratch With Simple Ingredients
This soup is naturally thick, and you can adjust the texture by adding more liquid. Commercial soups often rely on cornstarch, but I prefer to avoid corn. I use lettuce to bulk up the soup and add a little extra fiber.
The best pea soup is made from scratch. Skip the canned versions because this soup is all natural with no added sugar, MSG, yeast extract, or questionable ingredients. It tastes clean, fresh, and homemade.
What's the Difference Between Green Split Peas and Whole Peas?
Split peas and green peas come from the same Pisum sativum plant. Whole green peas are peeled, dried, and then split to create split peas.
Dried peas need a much longer cooking time than fresh or frozen peas, which is why I prefer using frozen whole peas for this soup. If I had fresh peas, I would use them in a heartbeat. Fresh peas are sweet and truly a gift from nature.
Here in Key Largo, fresh peas are impossible to find, so we use what we have. I picked these up at Publix.
Can I Make This Recipe with Dried Peas?
Yes. If split peas are what you have, you can use them in this recipe. Use about half the amount of split peas and simmer them for about 40 minutes with the lid slightly open. Check for softness and continue cooking until the peas are tender. Older peas take longer to cook, so give them time if needed.
Ingredients
- Olive oil: Avocado oil or any neutral oil works.
- Onion: Yellow or white onions both work well.
- Shallot: Adds mild flavor, like a cross between onion and garlic.
- Frozen peas: I use frozen peas for this soup. Use whatever your store carries.
- Lettuce: I use Romaine because it is always on hand. Iceberg or green leaf lettuce also work.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley adds brightness.
- Liquid: Water, homemade chicken broth, or slow cooker bone broth.
- Sea salt and Black Pepper
- Garnish: Toasted sesame seeds or Everything Bagel Seasoning. If you enjoy sesame, add a small drizzle of sesame oil before serving.
Step By Step Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with a little salt, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and cook another two minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Bring the liquid (water or stock) to a boil in a large pot.
- Add the cooked onions, shallot, shredded lettuce, parsley, water or stock, and frozen peas. Season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower it to a simmer (right below the boiling point). Cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and let the soup cool for a few minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, a blender or a food processor, blend until smooth. If you're using a blender, blend in two or three batches.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, Everything Bagel Seasoning, or a small drizzle of sesame oil before serving.
Note: If the soup seems thin, you can pour it back into the pot and cook it down for a few minutes to tighten it up. Also, if you would like a thinner soup, add a little more stock or water and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
How To Make Vegan Pea Soup
When I have homemade bone broth or chicken soup available, I use that for the liquid in this soup.
If you want to make it vegan, just use water or vegetable broth instead. Follow the same steps on the recipe card and the soup will come out great.
Storage and Leftovers
Green pea soup keeps well in the refrigerator. Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The soup will thicken as it chills, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating if you want it thinner. Warm it gently on the stove over low to medium heat.
This soup also freezes well. Let it cool completely, then place it in freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove in a pot for best results.
Summary
This creamy Green Pea Soup is made with frozen peas, fresh vegetables, and herbs. It cooks in about 20 minutes and has a bright green color and a fresh, homemade flavor.
This is a simple green pea soup made without ham. The taste stays clean because it's made with peas, onions, lettuce, and herbs instead of smoked meat. If you want a lighter soup or prefer a vegetarian option, this version works well.
The soup is naturally gluten-free. It is thick, comforting, and perfect on cold days or as a starter for Christmas, Easter, or any family meal.
Serve it on its own or pair it with a sandwich and a big green salad. Finish each bowl with Everything Bagel Seasoning, toasted sesame seeds, or a drizzle of sesame oil for added flavor.
More Easy Recipes
Soups
- Sweet French Onion Soup
- Cabbage Tomato Soup (great for weight loss!)
- Old Fashioned Chicken Soup
Vegetable Sides
Simple Mains That Go With Pea Soup
FAQ
My homemade green pea soup recipe is very filling. It has 176 calories and 8 grams of fiber per serving. Soup in a can is high in sodium and could have flavor enhancers, added sugar, and preservatives. This is a much healthier soup, and it tastes better too!
You can store the pea soup in your refrigerator for three days.
Of course! Let the soup cool to room temperature and pour into an airtight container. It should be good for about 3 months. Date the container with a marker so it doesn't get lost in the freezer.
Pea Soup is traditionally garnished with croutons. For a crunchy gluten-free garnish, I garnish my pea soup with Everything Bagel Seasoning and/or toasted sesame seeds. The salty garnish gives a good flavor to the soup. You can also use some fried onions or whole peas.
No. Pea soup is naturally low in calories and high in fiber, which helps keep you full. This version uses simple ingredients like peas, onions, lettuce, and herbs, so it stays light. It's a healthy option for lunch or dinner.
Recipe for Bone Broth
Check out my Homemade Bone Broth and Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup or Chicken Feet Soup and Bone Broth recipe, which can be used for the liquid in this recipe.
Homemade Green Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion peeled and sliced thin
- 1 shallot peeled and chopped
- 5 cups frozen or fresh green peas
- 2 cups shredded lettuce iceberg or Romaine
- 4 parsley sprigs
- 2 cups water, homemade bone broth, chicken stock or vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning or toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with a little salt, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and cook another two minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Bring the liquid (water or stock) to a boil in a large pot.
- Add the cooked onions, shallot, shredded lettuce, parsley, water or stock, and frozen peas. Season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower it to a simmer (right below the boiling point). Cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and let the soup cool for a few minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, a regular blender, or a food processor, blend until smooth. If you're using a blender, blend in two or three batches.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, Everything Bagel Seasoning, or a small drizzle of sesame oil before serving.
