Master The Basics
No matter what type of pea soup you are looking to make, there a few simple rules you have to follow. Master these steps and you can get creative with your pea soups and branch out from the traditional favourites. What's more, once you've mastered pea soup, you can branch out into our other pea recipes.
It is perfect on a cold winter's but it is a delicious treat that can be enjoyed year-round. Below are some of the top ingredients and a couple of ways to be more creative with this traditional favourite.
Must-Have Ingredients
The main ingredient of any soup is the liquid. There are a range of stocks that can be used and different chefs are advocated of different types. I'm sure you'll have a favourite but vegetable, chicken and ham stock all work well within a pea soup. Some of you will choose to add just water, preferring the taste of the peas, without the additional stock flavouring.
The next major ingredient is a thickener. Again, there is some variation and everyone will have their own preference but some of the most popular options include whipping cream, double cream and creme fraiche. After stirring it in, you can also add a little extra on top, if you want a thicker consistency. The more cream you add then the thicker your soup will be. If you've not tried creme fraiche before, try it next time you make pea soup. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Finally comes the herbs and other vegetables. If you want to make your soup a little bit sweeter then shallots go perfectly with the peas. Mint and spring onions are also popular additions.
Getting Creative
Now that you have the basics of a great tasting soup, you can get a little bit more creative. There really are a plethora of options if you want to add a little more adventure to your soup.
You might want to go for the traditional ham or bacon. If you are not sure where to start then check out our pea and ham soup recipe. With just a few extra ingredients you can turn a simple pea soup into something meaty and vibrant.
If you're looking to try something even more adventurous then check out our take on the traditional pea and mint favourite. In this recipe, you get to enjoy camembert, peas, onions and creme fraiche in one delicious bowl.
There are just a few of the ways that you can get creative. However, there really is no limit to what you can add. You might even discover your own secret recipe.