Green Pea & Asparagus Soup with Feta, Mint & Pita Croutons
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Topped with tangy feta and crispy pita croutons, this vibrant pea and asparagus soup is a delicious way to make the most of spring produce. It’s wonderful served warm or chilled.
Some of the best recipes come from simply using what you have on hand, and that’s exactly how this soup came to be. I had asparagus on the counter, peas in the freezer, and mint practically taking over my garden, so I threw them together and hoped for the best. To give the soup a Mediterranean twist, I topped it with feta cheese and crispy pita croutons, which add a tangy flavor and delicious crunch. It’s wonderful served warm, but I may like it even more chilled. The leftovers are especially good straight from the fridge.
“Made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious….a perfect spring soup.”
What You’ll Need To Make Green Pea & Asparagus Soup
To make the pea and asparagus soup you’ll need:
For the soup: extra-virgin olive oil, frozen peas, asparagus, low-sodium chicken broth, salt, pepper, honey, feta, lemon, and mint
For the croutons: pita, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and salt
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the aromatics. Begin by cooking the onions in olive oil until soft and translucent.
Step 2: Add the veggies and broth. Add 2¼ cups of the frozen peas, the asparagus, chicken broth, salt and pepper, and bring the mixture to a a boil.
Step 3: Simmer. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Then add ⅓ cup of the feta, the mint, honey, and fresh lemon juice.
Step 4: Purée and finish. Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until almost smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, then stir in the remaining frozen peas and heat until warmed through.
Step 5: Toast the croutons and serve. For the croutons, combine the olive oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Toss with the chopped pita bread, then bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and crisp. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with remaining feta, more mint, and pita croutons.
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Green Pea & Asparagus Soup with Feta, Mint & Pita Croutons
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 2¾ cups frozen green peas, divided
- 1 bunch (about 1 pound) asparagus, trimmed and chopped into ½-in (13-mm) pieces
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Heaping ½ cup (3 oz) feta, divided
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
For the Pita Croutons
- 1 large pita, split open and cut into ½-in (13-mm) squares
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Add 2¼ cup (270 g) of the peas, the asparagus, chicken broth, salt, and pepper; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until vegetables are very tender.
- Add the honey, ⅓ cup (57 g) of the feta, lemon juice, and mint. Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth (it's okay to leave it a bit chunky if you like). If you don't have an immersion blender, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open and cover with a kitchen towel to allow the steam to escape. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon if desired.
- Add the remaining ½ cup (60 g) of frozen peas and simmer until warmed through. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining feta, mint and pita croutons. Serve hot or cold.
For Pita Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, and salt. Place the pita bread on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the seasoned olive oil over top and toss until evenly coated. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can you freeze this soup?
Yes Donna, this soup should freeze just fine. Hope you enjoy!
The recipe calls for asparagus, trimmed. Does that mean peeled of the outer part?
Hi Jim, no need to peel the outer part – just trim off the harder woody end of the spears.
I cant wait to make this soup but I have a cupboard full of regular chicken broth and no low sodium broth. Would you please recommend how much of the 1 1/4 tsp salt should be reduced. Thank you
Hi Leo, I would suggest cutting the added salt in half and then you can add more to taste as necessary.
I really enjoyed this soup. Really nice balance of flavours.
Subtly complex and creamy, this soup is rich and satisfying. You’ve provided yet another favorite for our table.
Must tell you your green pea and asparagus with feta and mint soup is wonderful. It’s subtle and yet its complexity is amazing. We used Persian feta which gave it a creamy silky texture.
Yum. I decided to withhold from adding anything after blending since I prefer my soups smooth. It tastes so rich and creamy — it’s hard to believe there’s only a small handful of cheese in the whole pot! Will definitely be keeping this recipe. Thanks!
Thanks for posting this Jennifer. Last week I tried asparagus/pea soup for the first time at a local restaurant and it was very good. It was on my todo list to find a recipe so this is perfect timing.
Hi Jen,
This looks really great. But do you think this can be made without the feta? Or can you suggest some alternatives to feta? Not a fan of the feta…
Thanks!
Hi Melissa, I would substitute another flavorful cheese, like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.
Now you’re talking! Fantastic. Thanks!
I can’t wait to make this , especially with the fresh peas and asparagus that will be coming in soon. I can probably give it 5 stars already because Chef Jenns soup recipes are superior!