Green Pea & Asparagus Soup with Feta, Mint & Pita Croutons
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 2¾ cups frozen green peas, divided
- 1 bunch (about 1 pound) asparagus, trimmed and chopped into ½-in (13-mm) pieces
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Heaping ½ cup (3 oz) feta, divided
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
For the Pita Croutons
- 1 large pita, split open and cut into ½-in (13-mm) squares
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Add 2¼ cup (270 g) of the peas, the asparagus, chicken broth, salt, and pepper; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until vegetables are very tender.
- Add the honey, ⅓ cup (57 g) of the feta, lemon juice, and mint. Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth (it's okay to leave it a bit chunky if you like). If you don't have an immersion blender, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open and cover with a kitchen towel to allow the steam to escape. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon if desired.
- Add the remaining ½ cup (60 g) of frozen peas and simmer until warmed through. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining feta, mint and pita croutons. Serve hot or cold.
For Pita Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, and salt. Place the pita bread on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the seasoned olive oil over top and toss until evenly coated. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.