Spinach and Pea Soup with Mint (Vegan)

Here is a soup that is so humble in its ingredients yet packed with flavour and goodness. This vegan spinach and pea soup with mint big on flavour, simple in its preparation and a winner in my family every time.

My first taste of this flavour combination was in a gastropub in London. One spoon and I knew I just had to replicate it. I do love a good pea soup. I like the soup made from split peas when it's cold. You can read about my German pea soup here.

This mint pea soup is different. I prefer to eat it in the spring and summer. Made with fresh or frozen peas this soup is much lighter. The typical British flavour combination of pea and mint reminds me of years spent in the UK.

Using frozen spinach in soup

Can you make soup from frozen spinach and peas? Yes, you can. That is one of the beauties of this dish. I have made it both ways. You can add fresh spinach to the soup, which will give it a brighter green colour. Just add frozen spinach to the soup. You do not need to defrost it and it will taste just as good.

Frozen vs Fresh spinach

Using frozen spinach is most of the time not only more convenient, it is also healthier. One cup of spinach has almost four times the amount of nutrients such as folate, iron and calcium, than a cup of fresh spinach. It is also much cheaper than buying fresh spinach and can be used in virtually anything on the stove. Frozen spinach is dependable in taste. The spinach is frozen straight after being picked.

How to make Spinach and Pea Soup?

Ingredients for 4 people

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion
• 250 g / 8.8 oz frozen peas / or alternativley use fresh
• 250 g / 8.8 oz frozen spinach/ or alternativley use fresh
• 15 g / 0.5 oz mint leaves
• 1 litre / 35 fl oz vegetable stock.

Recipe Steps

1. Peel and slice the onion finely.
2. In a deep saucepan, heat up the tablespoon of oil and fry the onions until translucent.
3. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the peas and spinach. Bring to boil and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the mint leaves.
5. With a blender or immersion stick blend/puree the soup into the desired consistency. If need to your can add more stock.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot

TIPS for the best Minted Pea and Spinach Soup

• You can use any type of onions for this soup. Shallots, red or white onions are fine.
• Take your time when frying these onions. This will help the onions develop a sweeter flavour. Take care not to burn them, as this will result in a bitter taste.
• The amount of stock/broth used in this recipe is just a guideline. Scale it up to your taste. Start with less stock and then gradually add more until you get the desired texture.
• You do not need to blend the soup smooth. I always leave some of the peas unpureed as it leaves a little texture to the soup.

Is this soup suited for a slimming world diet?

For those of you not familiar with Slimming World, it is a British low-fat diet. I know it well, as I used to follow it when I was living in the UK. This pea and spinach soup is great for slimming world. Just replace the tablespoon of oil with your fry light spray and you this soup should be syn-free!

How to serve this soup?

This soup goes well with a white crusty roll or a slice of rye bread. You can also add a drop of vegan cream or yoghurt into the soup to add a creamy flavour to the soup.

Storage Instructions

How long will this soup stay good in the fridge?

This pea mint and spinach soup will keep up to 5 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container. You can either reheat the soup in the microwave at work or in a pan on the stove at home. Add a little water or vegetable stock if needed to thin it out.

Can I freeze the soup?

Of course, you can. It should stay good for up to three months.

More Vegan Vegetables Dishes

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Swede and Carrot Soup
• Vegan German Potato Salad with Cucumber
• Vegan German Potato Salad with Apple
• German Red Cabbage with Apple

This post was first published in January 2014 and updated in May 2021.