Pea and Mint Soup

This Pea and Mint Soup is deliciously creamy, beautifully vibrant and delicately sweet.

At the end of the week, when the cupboards are pretty bare, I can usually count on finding some stray veggies to whip together a pot of soup. A bag of frozen peas is pretty much guaranteed to be in the freezer, making this Pea and Mint soup a staple in our household.

How to Make Pea and Mint Soup

What You need

• Olive Oil - You can replace with a different oil or with butter.
• Onion  
• Garlic
• Potato - For soups and stews I normally recommend using a waxy potato that holds its shape better. However, as this soup is blended it isn't a requirement. I use whatever I have available!
• Stock - Chicken or vegetable stock. If making for a baby, use homemade chicken or vegetable stock to keep sodium levels lower.
• Frozen Peas - You can use fresh if you prefer.
• Lemon Juice - I always use fresh.
• Mint - Start with a little and add more as needed.

Cooking Tips

• Check that the potatoes are done after the cooking time - a fork or tip of a sharp knife should be easily inserted and removed.
• The peas only need to be added in the last few minutes.
• Blend the soup before adding the mint and gradually add the mint, allowing your kids to taste test. That way, if you have a child who doesn't like a strong mint taste, you can remove a bowl before adding extra mint.
• If you don't have a stick blender, allow to cool slightly before transferring to a blender or food processor.

Soup for Kids

Soup makes the ideal family lunch. It is cheap, healthy and a great way to get our kids to eat vegetables that perhaps they normally wouldn't touch. To make soup even more appealing to kids I always

• Provide a topping and allow the kids to "decorate" their soup. (The toppings complement the soup - e.g croutons, grated cheese, cream, yoghurt, herbs, crackers, apple sticks, coconut and raisins)
• Provide something to dip with - fresh bread, buttered toast, oatcakes, cracker or savoury scones.

Pea and Mint Soup Toppings Ideas

• Croutons - As you can see from the photos, I added some star croutons. Use a star cookie cutter to cut star shapes from a slice of bread. Fry in a little olive oil until nicely toasted, about 3-5 minutes.
• Peas - Reserve some cooked peas to sprinkle on top
• Cream - A swirl of cream will add a nice aesthetic touch and enhance the flavour
• Cheese - Provide a little pot of finely grated parmesan (or cheese of choice) to dust over the top of the soup.
• Mint - Some fresh mint leaves, whole or chopped.

Storing Pea and Mint Soup

When refrigerating or freezing soup you want to make sure it has fully cooled down before placing in the refrigerator or freezer.

• Refrigerating - Transfer leftover soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Freezing - Transfer leftover soup to an airtight container/containers. Leave about a 2-3 cm (1 inch) of space between the soup and the container's lid when filling it. This will allow room for the liquid to expand when frozen. Defrost, overnight, in the refrigerator.

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• Carrot and Orange Soup
• Tomato Soup
• Curried Lentil and Coconut Soup
• Pea Fritters