Creamy Pea Soup with Bacon and Pesto
This is a rich and hearty pea soup recipe that will keep you warm in the winter months but is fresh and quick enough to be a welcome meal in summer and spring.
If you love soups, this is definitely worth your time to try sometime soon.
I have been making this creamy pea soup since I was a teenager! It has always been a hit with anyone who has tried it! The leftovers (if there are any) store well in the freezer. I love to have this soup with freshly baked bread like my garlic knots or a cheesy garlic pull apart bread. Make a simple pesto and cheese toasted sandwich with to dip into it for an extra special treat.
Pea Soup Ingredients and substitution
Butter – I use salted butter but feel free to use unsalted if you prefer. Butter can also be substituted for cooking oil if you are dairy free.
Red onions – You can easily substitute the 2 small red onions for a large brown onion if that’s what you have on hand. Both options are great.
Bacon – The bacon gives this soup a sweet salty flavor. If you remove the bacon then you will definitely need to add in a little extra salt but the soup will still come out great especially if you want a vegetarian option.
Mushrooms – Totally necessary here as they add a rich earthy flavor. I usually use button mushrooms. Swap out the 4 mushrooms for one large portobello mushroom to really boost that earthy flavor. If you really hate mushrooms then you can skip or reduce them to suit your preferences.
Vegetable stock – I make mine up using stock cubes but you can definitely use home made or pre-prepared. Swapping the veggie stock out for chicken stock is also a great option. This recipe makes a thick, rich soup so feel free to add more stock if you prefer thinner soups.
Peas – Use frozen baby peas, no need to defrost. You can substitute for the regular or minted peas but I do find that the baby peas taste the best in pea soup.
Cream – I use heavy cream to make this a rich and creamy soup. You can simply leave it out if you are dairy free or you can substitute with coconut cream. Just note that changing to coconut cream will alter the flavor of the soup more that simply excluding the cream.
Pesto – I add store brought chunky pesto after blending this soup to give it back a little texture. Feel free to use homemade or if you don’t have any on hand you can ramp up the flavor of your soup with 2 tsp crushed garlic 2 tsp herbs and 1 heaped tsp of nuts (walnuts or cashews work well). If you make this switch then add in the ingredients before blitzing.
Storing your leftover soup
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze, scoop cold soup into snap lock sandwich bags, removing all of the air, before sealing shut. Lay flat to freeze. This soup will last up to three months in the freezer.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the butter in a large saucepan on a medium high heat.
- Add in the onions and cook through until lightly browned.
- Place the bacon into your saucepan and cook through for a minute before adding the mushrooms. Cook together, stirring regularly until the mushrooms are tender and the bacon is crispy.
- Pour your vegetable stock and frozen peas on top of your cooked ingredients.
- Bring your pot to a simmer before you reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes, once the peas are tender remove your saucepan from the heat.
- Use a stick blender and blitz the soup until it reaches a smooth consistency.
- Add in the cream and pesto, mix well.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in bowls with an extra teaspoon of pesto and a drizzle of cream if desired.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through my recipe for pea soup. I hope you enjoy trying this out for yourself. Please feel free to add any questions or comments bellow, I am happy to help out wherever possible and I would love to hear how this recipe worked out for you.
Crystal Rose
