Frozen peas make this comforting soup maker pea soup so quick and easy to make. Adding lemon and mint makes the flavours fresh and vibrant!
Soup maker pea soup
The main ingredient in this comforting, warming soup is an everyday bag of frozen peas.
I nearly always have peas in the freezer, as well as potato and lemon in the vegetable drawer, which means that this minted pea soup is on regular rotation.
Using a soup maker means hot soup from fresh ingredients with the absolute minimum of hands-on time. I’m now a complete convert!
See also
- Mixed vegetable soup in the soup maker – I’ll show you how to make a delicious soup with the veggies you have
- A British classic – soup maker broccoli and stilton soup
- Soup maker butternut squash soup – lightly spiced and velvet smooth
Love Your Soup Maker?
- All my soup maker recipes in one place!
- Soup maker hints and tips to get the best from your gadget
This recipe is adaptable. The potato adds body and creaminess without using cream, but you can leave it out and add more peas.
I like a hint of mint in my pea soup – but not too much – again you can leave it out, or use more for a really minty pea and mint soup. You can also add a swirl of cream at the end for extra creaminess.
My usual everyday cooking is for two, but when making soup batching makes sense – cook once and eat twice or more – a batch of this soup makes 6 portion. So some to eat immediately, some for the fridge for the next day and some for for freezer for another day.
Quantities can be varied, and I’ll tell you how to make perfectly textured soup every time.
Why make pea soup in the soup maker?
- Easy and hands off to make as the soup maker does all the work letting you get on and do something else.
- Everyday ingredients – what can be more ordinary than a bag of frozen peas?
- Adaptable recipe – easily change the flavours and quantities!
- Homemade is nearly always better and will be UPF free!
- Nutrient rich – peas are packed with protein, vitamins, minerals and also fill you up.
- Perfect for bulk cooking – a modern soup maker can make about 1.7 litres of soup, which is more than 7 cups, or 6 generous portions – so you can make ahead and fill the freezer.
Soup maker pea soup – ingredients
- Peas – a bag of regular frozen peas. You do not need petit pois or special peas. Frozen peas are almost always fresher and sweeter than peas you buy as they are processed within hours of being picked. They are almost certainly cheaper, and far less fuss as you don’t need to pod them.
- Potato – one or two regular potatoes.
- Onion – one regular brown onion, or you can use a red onion or a handful of shallots.
- Stock/broth – vegetable or chicken. You don’t need to make up a stock in advance and as this is a blended soup you can simply throw the stock cube or pot into the soup maker. For a pea and ham soup use a ham stock cube.
- Seasoning – a little garlic granules.
- Olive oil – I like an unrefined extra virgin olive oil for sautéing the onion.
- Lemon – this is the not so secret secret ingredient that really lifts the soup.
- Fresh mint (and other herbs) – optional – I like a little – adapt you your taste. I do not recommend using dried mint – the more different plants we can add to our diet the better!
How to make pea soup in a soup maker – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this soup maker pea soup recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Peel the onion and cut into quarters, put into the the soup maker and pulse briefly. Then scrape any onion off the sides to the bottom of the jug.
Add the oil to the soup maker and select the sauté function. Allow to cook for the programme length until the onion is translucent and fragrant. Cooking time will vary according to the model of soup maker.
If you do not have a sauté function, then you can skip this stage and throw all the ingredients, including the raw onion into the jug. Or, sauté the onions in a pan first; I prefer the onion sautéed for the extra flavour this brings to the soup.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
I’ve recently started sautéing in the soup maker without the central bung to let the steam escape. I think it gives a better result. However make sure you replace it when it comes to making the soup.
Step Two – Prepare the vegetables.
Potato – Cut into chunks about 2.5cm / 1″ – no need to peel unless the skin is blemished.
Peas – There is no need to defrost completely but ideally get them out of the freezer a little while before starting to cook, or put them in a bowl and cover with hot water, then strain before using.
Step Three – Add the peas, potato, garlic and stock cube to the soup maker. Reserve a few peas for garnishing.
Top up with water to about 2 inches / 5 cm BELOW the level of the vegetables.
If I am making the soup to freeze I use even less water so the soup takes up less space. You can always add a little more in part way through cooking if it is not blending properly.
Helen’s Pro Tip
When making soup I always try to use a little less liquid than I think it will need. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out, and too much will dilute the flavour.
Step Four – Put the lid on making sure you replace the bung, and start the smooth soup program. Most machines will take about thirty minutes, finishing with a longer blend to make a completely smooth and velvety soup.
Step Five – When the machine has finished, taste and pulse in the fresh mint (if using), juice of half a lemon and any seasoning. A generous drizzle of cream or sour cream is also a great addition here.
You can add some more liquid if needed at this stage to thin the soup.
Serving suggestion
Garnish with a swirl of cream, a few of the reserved peas, fresh mint leaves, chopped fried crispy ham, and freshly ground black pepper.
You can also add some shredded ham at this point or fried bacon lardons.
Variations
- For a lighter soup leave out the potato and add some extra peas.
- Add a couple of sticks of celery
- Make the soup richer by adding a knob of butter at the end of cooking and briefly pulse it in.
- Add a generous glug of white wine.
- Add different fresh herbs at the end of cooking. I like to pulse them in rather than fully blend. Fresh parsley, coriander or chives would all be delicious.
- Whizz through a handful of baby spinach.
- Pulse in about 80ml / a third of a cup of cream at the end of cooking for a cream of pea soup.
Storage
Fridge – Allow your soup maker pea soup to cool, pack into containers, seal and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer – Once cold, pack into containers, seal and freeze. Store for up to 6 months. I find that with soup maker soups they can separate as they defrost and will need a good stir as they are reheated.
If making an entire batch of this soup for the freezer then add less water at step three. Freeze and then dilute a little once defrosted.
Reheating – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen worktop for a few hours. Reheat your soup in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave.
I prefer not to use plastic in the microwave so reheat in a Pyrex jug that is easy to lift in and out.
Hints and tips
- You can make this with fresh peas, but there’s no need to buy them specially. Peas are frozen so quickly after harvesting that they’re still really fresh and tasty.
- If your soup maker doesn’t have a sauté function, you can sauté the onions briefly in a pan before putting them in the soup maker. If you decide to skip the sauté stage, don’t leave the oil out. You will miss it if you do.
- When adding water, never completely cover the ingredients. It’s easy to thin a soup that’s too thick, but not vice versa. Here are all my tips to thicken soup.
- Swirl a small amount of boiling water in the empty soup maker jug to get all the soup out, and add it to the rest of the soup. Then clean the jug as below.
- It is far easier to clean a soup maker while it is still warm. Rinse it under the hot tap, fill with warm water and add a few drops of washing up liquid. Set to blend for a few seconds. Then rinse again and leave to dry.
FAQS
Absolutely yes! I’d always use frozen for convenience as they are cheaper, do not need podding, and due to the speed at which they are harvested they are almost certainly bound to be fresher.
Having originally been sceptical about soup makers, I’m now an absolute convert, and sing the praises to all my friends. I love my Ninja Food Blender and Soup Maker (Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender in the USA), using it several times a week in the colder months.
I now think it is worth it because you get great results for very little effort and crucially, you can walk away and leave it to do the work unattended.
Whether it is cheaper than stovetop probably depends on the recipe, as some soups are quick to make in a saucepan and some take quite a long time. It certainly won’t cost you more to use the soup maker and for some soups it will be cheaper.
You can but I really am not keen on dried mint, it has a completely different flavour.
I’d whizz through half a spoon of cornflour. Or use one of my tricks and tips for thickening soup.
More recipes
- No soup maker? Try my stove top pea and ham soup.
- Or stove top pea and mint soup
- or a light fat free pea and lettuce soup
Minted pea soup in the soup maker
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (1)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 600 g peas (2)
- 200 g potato (3)
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- 1 stock cube – chicken or vegetable
- ½ lemon – juiced
- 1 sprig fresh mint (to taste )
Instructions
- Saute the onion – Peel the onion and cut into quarters, put into the in the soup maker, and pulse briefly. Then scrape any onion off the sides to the bottom of the jug.Add the oil to the soup maker and select the sauté function. Allow to cook for the programme length until the onion is translucent and fragrant. Cooking time will vary according to the model of soup maker.If you do not have a sauté function, then you can skip this stage and throw all the ingredients, including the raw onion into the jug. Or, sauté the onions in a pan first; I do prefer the onion sautéed for the extra flavour this brings to the soup.1 medium onion, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Prepare the vegetables – While the onion is cooking prepare the vegetables. Peas – There is no need to defrost completely but ideally get them out of the freezer a little while before starting to cook, or put them in a bowl and cover with hot water, then strain before using.Potato – Cut into chunks about 2.5cm / 1 inches There is no need to peel unless the skin is blemished.600 g peas, 200 g potato
- Load the soup maker – Once the onion has finished sautéing add the peas, potato, garlic granules and stock cube to the soup maker. Keep a few peas back for garnish. Top up with water to about 2 inches / 5 cm BELOW the level of the vegetables.½ tsp garlic granules, 1 stock cube – chicken or vegetable
- Cook the soup – Put the lid on the jug, making sure you replace the bung, and start the smooth soup programme. Most machines will take about thirty minutes, finishing with a longer blend to make a completely smooth and velvety soup.
- Season to taste – When the machine has finished, pulse in the fresh mint (if using) and add the lemon juice to taste.Pulse in seasoning as needed. I usually add a little pepper and salt and a generous pat of butter.You can add some more liquid if needed at this stage to thin the soup.½ lemon – juiced, 1 sprig fresh mint
Notes
- For a lighter soup leave out the potato and add some extra peas.
- Add a couple of sticks of celery.
- Make the soup richer by adding a knob of butter at the end of cooking and briefly pulse it in.
- Add different fresh herbs at the end of cooking. I like to pulse them in rather than fully blend. Fresh parsley, coriander or chives would all be delicious.
- Pulse in about 80ml / a third of a cup of cream at the end of cooking for a cream of pea soup.
Leave a Reply