Roasted Garlic & Green Pea Soup
This isn't grandma's pea soup that haunted your childhood...it's light, and bright with hints of carefully curated ingredients in every bite. And it's BEAUTIFUL!
Immediately upon hearing pea soup, people turn their nose up at it. Canned, overcooked, dull green peas have tainted a large majority of the population but I am here to give peas the love they deserve (just like those artichokes)!!
This soup is vibrant in color and only uses a handful of ingredients. Each was thoughtfully used in order to let the peas be the star, but still provide a background note that would be missed if it wasn’t there. Think of it like background singers - the song just wouldn’t be quite right without their support!
The roasted garlic adds a level of sweetness and is ever so slightly bitter (in the best way). You get a hint of that deep-roasted flavor, plus the herbaceous dill in the middle of every bite. And the end of each bite leaves you with the fresh pea flavor.
My best tip? Eat the soup warm. If it’s too hot, you lose out on those distinct flavors!
Roasted Garlic & Green Pea Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Roasted Garlic
2 heads of garlic
2 tablespoons EVOO
Soup
2 tablespoons EVOO
½ large yellow onion, finely diced
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
4 cups vegetable broth
5 cups frozen peas
1 cup half and half (or heavy cream)
Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions:
Preheat the oven for 450F and peel of the extra papery layers from the garlic head that easily fall off.
Cut the top ½” off of the top of the 2 garlic heads to expose the cloves. Place into a piece of tin foil, then drizzle some EVOO on top of the cut pieces. Wrap the foil closed around the bulbs (keeping the cut sides up).
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cloves are lightly brown and soft when pressed.
Cool the bulb completely, then squeeze out the roasted cloves from the bottom of the bulbs.
Add a large pot over medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons EVOO once hot. Stir in the ½ diced yellow onion and add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Stir and cook until slightly softened. Stir in the roasted garlic cloves, ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley, and ¼ cup chopped fresh dill.
Add the 3 cups vegetable broth and bring to a simmer, then add the 5 cups of peas and 1 cup of half and half. Stir and cook until it just starts to steam and get hot.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until completely smooth, or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the juice of 1 lemon and stir it in, then taste for seasoning, adding additional salt or extra squeeze of lemon juice, as needed. Heat on low until sufficiently hot (not boiling).
Transfer to bowls and serve with a drizzle of EVOO, cream, and chopped dill.
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Swaps & Subs
Unfortunately, there aren’t many swaps I’d approve for this recipe because of the careful balance needed to create the intended flavor. Think of this section more of as a what not to do in this recipe.
Only white or yellow onion for this recipe. Shallots would be OK since the light purple color isn’t overly pronounced.
Dried herbs shouldn’t be used as fresh is needed for both color and distinct flavor profile. The dill and parsley is an elite combo - please don’t go swapping for cilantro or tarragon. Basil would be ok in place of the dill, though (but again, will have a different flavor profile)!
Chicken broth could be used in place of vegetable broth but will slightly mute the flavor of other ingredients.
If you want to shell a million fresh peas…be my guest! Canned peas shouldn’t be used, though.
Half and half, heavy cream, normal milk, or even coconut milk (shake it up good if you use canned) can be used.
Tips!
Only cook the peas long enough so they’re no longer frozen and the liquids are warm. This helps to keep the vibrant green color, while still allowing us to easily blend it up.
If using a blender or food processor, buzz it up in batches. An immersion blender does the trick more than fine, but you’ll get the smoothest final result in a high-speed blender.
Make the soup up to 2 days in advance and reheat it on low. The color stays vibrant green…woo!
The lemon stirred in at the end lends a critical vibrancy and balance, so don’t skip that part!
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