Herbed Green Pea Soup

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Thanks to frozen peas, which are always great to have on hand, you can enjoy this taste of spring year-round in this green pea soup. When you can, buy fresh shelled green peas, and use them on the very day you buy them; otherwise, their sweetness dissipates and they will become starchy.

Serve hot or cold.

Make Ahead: The soup can be refrigerated (without the yogurt) for up 4 days. (If you want to serve the soup chilled, it needs to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours.)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups no-salt-added chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more as needed
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh shelled peas or 10 ounces frozen/defrosted green peas
2 tablespoons packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons packed fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons plain yogurt (low-fat or whole), for garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion; cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the broth, salt and pepper; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.

Add the peas; cook fresh ones for 2 to 5 minutes, until they are tender; if you’re using frozen peas, cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they are just warmed through. Remove from the heat; cool for 15 minutes, then stir in the parsley, the tablespoon of chives and the tarragon.

Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, allow the soup to cool slightly, then puree it in batches in a regular blender. If serving hot, reheat just until warmed through; if serving cold, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 days. Taste, and add salt as needed.

To serve, divide the soup among individual bowls; top each portion a swirl of yogurt and chopped chives.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: Calories 110; Total Fat 4g (Saturated Fat 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 340mg; Total Carbohydrates 14g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Protein 5g