Caramelized Leek Pea Soup

*This quick and tasty Caramelized Leek Pea Soup is a spring delight! Fresh green peas pair perfectly with rich caramelized leeks.*

The last few days here in San Francisco have been beautifully, marvelously, spectacularly warm. On Sunday, Adam and I played tennis and then headed to a local food truck festival where we feasted on crab rolls, fresh corn on the cob, and watermelon agua frescas, all while lounging in the grass. It was so bright and sunny that I actually got a bit of a sunburn on my bare shoulders – not something that I’m used to worrying about, in this foggy city of ours! Last night the warm evening air and slight breeze was absolutely perfect at my football practice, and I’ve been throwing the windows open every evening to try to cool down my bedroom.

But the thing is, here in Northern California a warm spell like this will never last long. Although the forecast says sun and temps in the 70s through this week, I know we’ll have another cold and foggy day soon. I mean, just last week it was raining! Because of this, I always like to have some warm, comforting recipes in mind for when the temperatures drop. Bonus points if said recipes are seasonally appropriate, so we can enjoy some fresh, seasonal produce even if we’re eating soup or a stew in May or June. A few favorites that come to mind are fresh tomato soup, a creamy corn chowder, or a nice blueberry cobbler, warm from the oven. And this bright and fresh pea soup, of course, is my most recent favorite!

This soup is so simple, yet utterly lovely. It’s pretty much all veggies (and you only need a couple) so it feels nice and light, while still being super warm and comforting. The combination of rich, caramelized leeks (cooked up in a bit of butter) and sweet, bright peas is perfect for spring. Plenty of chicken broth adds a hearty base and tons of flavor, but vegetable broth would work well, too. I’ll definitely be making another batch of this delicious soup once the weather turns and the fog rolls in – but you should definitely try it, too, even if it’s warm and sunny where you live!

Caramelized Leek Pea Soup

Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Print

This quick and tasty Caramelized Leek Pea Soup is a spring delight! Fresh green peas pair perfectly with rich caramelized leeks.

You may use fresh or frozen peas for this recipe. If using frozen peas, you will need two sixteen-ounce packages.
To make this soup vegan, simply replace the butter with olive oil and the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
This soup is also delicious served chilled.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 leeks
1 onion
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
6 cups shelled peas
fresh pesto and creme fraiche, for serving

Directions

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Slice off and discard the dark green ends of the leeks. Thinly slice the leeks.
Peel and dice the onion.
Add sliced leeks and diced onion to the pot. Add salt and pepper.
Let cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and caramelized, about ten minutes.
Add the chicken broth. Let liquid come to a boil.
Add peas. Let cook until peas are tender, about five minutes.
Remove pot from the heat and let cool slightly.
Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary, or using an immersion blender.
Return pureed soup to the pot and heat over medium heat, stirring regularly, until hot.
Serve soup topped with a dollop of pesto and creme fraiche.

One thought on “Caramelized Leek Pea Soup”

abanke1 says:

May 2, 2017 at 9:34 am

I love the colors! BTW, you forgot we had grilled cheese on Sunday too!

LikeLike

The Millennial Cook