Best pea and basil soup is easy to make and tastes amazing. Made from frozen peas this budget creamy low fat pea soup is really comforting!
Spring is just around the corner here in the U.K. So what better way to celebrate than with this bright, fresh and vibrant pea and basil soup?
This pea and basil soup is one of those great recipes that came about entirely accidentally. I thought I'd bought the right ingredients to make a batch of my pea and mint soup.
It actually turned out I'd bought the wrong fresh herbs. I'd bought basil instead of mint!
Well as you know nothing goes to waste in our household. Especially more so nowadays when everything is just going up and up in price.
So in went the fresh basil leaves instead of the mint and what a pleasant surprise! It tasted absolutely delicious!
This spring pea soup is made from frozen green peas and vegetable stock. So unlike most pea soups, which are made using the stock from a ham bone, this one is suitable for vegetarians too.
I used low fat cream cheese to give it a bit of extra creaminess but you could easily remove that to make it vegan as well.
The sweet peas give this soup a unique sweet taste which will definitely be easy to get kids to eat.
Not only that this simple recipe is a real time-saver too. It's a quick soup. It only take 30 minutes to make and serve!
Peas are a good source of vitamin C and there's plenty of other healthy vitamins and minerals in this delicious soup too.
You'll definitely want to add this soup to your list of healthy recipes!
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🥘 Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Frozen Peas
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Vegetable Stock
- Low Fat Cream Cheese
- Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Chopped Basil Leaves (for garnish)
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 Substitutions
- Olive Oil - I recommend extra virgin but vegetable oil or low calorie cooking spray oil would also be suitable.
- Onion
- Frozen Peas - you could use fresh peas instead.
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Vegetable Stock - you could also use chicken stock / chicken broth instead if you don't want this to be vegetarian.
- Low Fat Cream Cheese - omit if you want this to be vegan or use a vegan substitute or a little coconut milk.
- Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Chopped Basil Leaves (for garnish) - you could garnish with a swirl of yogurt instead.
🔪 How To Make Pea And Basil Soup
- In a medium soup pot over a medium heat gently heat the olive oil, then add the diced onion and sauté until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Add the frozen peas, basil leaves and vegetable stock.
- Bring the soup to the boil and then turn down the heat to allow the soup to simmer for approximately 20 minutes until the peas are fully cooked.
- Blitz the soup in a blender / food processor or use a stick blender until pureed.
- Return the pureed mixture to the pan and stir in the cream cheese one tablespoon at a time.
- Season to taste and serve garnished with the chopped basil leaves or garnish of your choice.
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💭 FAQ's
Is Pea Soup Healthy?
Yes this soup is healthy as it contains peas which are a good source of vitamins and minerals. It also contains other nutrients that are said to help the immune system and lower the risk of other health problems like heart disease.
Is Homemade Pea Soup Good For Weight Loss?
Pea soup can help towards weight loss if you are counting calories and have a regular exercise routine.
What To Serve With Pea Soup?
I recommend serving with some slices of homemade bread.
How To Store Pea Soup?
Pea soup can be kept in the fridge for about a week in a sealed container. Or you can freeze it by allowing it to cool completely then freezing it in individual containers.
How Do I Reheat Pea Soup?
Defrost thoroughly then gently warm the soup over a medium-low heat in a saucepan on your stove top. Or re-heat in 1 minute bursts in your microwave. If your soup is too thick add a bit of water.
🍲 Other Pea Soup Recipes You Might Like To Try
📋 Best Pea and Basil Soup Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 700 g frozen peas
- 30 g basil leaves stalks removed and chopped
- 1 L vegetable stock
- 4 tablespoon low fat cream cheese
- Salt and freshly ground pepper for seasoning
- Some chopped basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan heat gently heat the olive oil, then add the diced onion and sauté until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Add the frozen peas, basil leaves and vegetable stock.
- Bring the soup to the boil and then turn down the heat to allow the soup to simmer for approximately 20 minutes until the peas are fully cooked.
- Blitz the soup in a blender / food processor until pureed.
- Return to the pan and stir in the cream cheese one tablespoon at a time.
- Season to taste and serve garnished with the chopped basil leaves.
Nutrition
🧾 Nutrition Label
Nutritional information provided below is calculated using paid for online tools and the exact ingredients and quantities used above.
⭐ Rate The Recipe
If you’ve made this pea soup recipe, or any other recipes on Neil's Healthy Meals, then please let me know.
I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂
David @ Spiced
You can say that again about the price of grocery (everything) going up and up and up! Good use of the wrong herb here, Neil. I've totally bought the wrong herbs by mistake, too! This sounds like an easy (and inexpensive) recipe - and the peas make it perfect for these early days of spring!
Neil
Thanks David. I was lucky that I was able to use those wrong herbs to create this delicious recipe. And I was actually surprised with just how good it tasted too!
Charlie DeSando
Neil, nice looking soup, thanks for this recipe
Neil
You're welcome. Thanks Charlie.
Raymund | angsarap.net
Can definiely make this soon, I have the ingredients and I have a lot of frozen peas. Sounds like a really good recipe, will be keeping it
Neil
Definitely a great recipe to help use up those frozen peas. So simple to make! Thanks Raymund.
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
Interesting how things happen. I think the basil in this soup is what really attracts me to it. And you certainly didn't have to recommend having it with bread - that seems like an absolute given!
Neil
It's a great recipe for your favourite kind of bread! Thanks Jeff!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Easy, velvety, creamy yet light, and so flavourful - that's a perfect spring soup. And with some crusty bread; that will be perfectly hearty, too.
Neil
This is the perfect soup for today Ben. As I look out of the window it does look like Spring could be here. Sun is up and it's cold and frosty. But in a nice way. Hope you are well and thanks for the kind comments!
mimi rippee
This is fabulous. I like the cream cheese addition. Pretty photos, too!
Neil
Thank you Mimi. I thought this would be perfect for Spring. ๐
sherry M
i make a similar soup but i add zucchini and parsley. (not so keen on basil). so simple and tasty.
Neil
Thanks Sherry. Simple soups are best aren't they?