Name: Pea and Mint Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 1 potato, diced; 1 litre vegetable stock; 300g frozen peas; 1 tsp dried mint; 1 pinch of salt and pepper

Pea and Mint Soup

Pea and mint soup looks like something from a gastropub but it costs about 24p a portion to make. The secret is frozen peas, which are picked and frozen within hours so they are often sweeter than the fresh ones sitting on the shelf.

The mint is doing real work here. Just a teaspoon of the dried stuff cuts through the sweetness of the peas and makes the whole thing taste fresh rather than like baby food.

This is also the fastest soup in the repertoire. Half an hour from cupboard to bowl, and it reheats fine the next day for lunch.

Total cost: £0.95 (£0.24 per portion) – Serves 4 people. Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins

Pea and Mint Soup

Bright green, sweet and fresh, this classic soup costs about 24p a portion. Frozen peas mean it works all year round and it is on the table in half an hour.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings: 4 people

Course: Soup

Cuisine: british

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 potato, diced
1 litre vegetable stock
300g frozen peas
1 tsp dried mint
1 pinch of salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the potato and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the stock and simmer for 12 minutes until the potato is tender.
Add the frozen peas and dried mint and simmer for 3 minutes.
Blend until smooth, season to taste, and serve.

Tips and Variations

Blend half the soup and leave the rest chunky if you prefer texture. A swirl of single cream or a spoonful of yogurt on top makes it dinner party worthy. If you have fresh mint instead of dried, use three times the quantity.

Is it cheaper to make this from scratch? Use our Cook vs Buy Calculator to compare the real cost of homemade vs shop-bought.