Fry

Creamy Watercress, Pea & Mint Soup

by:
June  4, 2018
4.4
5 Ratings
Creamy Watercress, Pea & Mint Soup
Photo by Ty Mecham
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

From Melissa Hemsley’s Eat Happy Cookbook: “Watercress is one of my favorite greens―delicious raw in salads or lightly cooked in soups and stews. Its pepperiness balances the sweetness of the peas in this really quick green soup. If you can’t get watercress, substitute with spinach, which you could keep in the freezer with the peas, to make this a great store cupboard and freezer standby. The cooked white beans (or any beans of your choice) add extra creaminess and make this soup really satisfying. If you like, you could add a swirl of Tahini Lemon Drizzle (recipe below) or Garlic Yoghurt. I love this soup with toasted Quick Quinoa Bread and butter.” —Food52

Test Kitchen Notes

Featured in: A Mean, Green, Pantry-Friendly Soup That's as Good Hot or Cold. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Creamy Watercress, Pea & Mint Soup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or ghee
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 400 g tin of white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 600 milliliters stock/bone broth or water
  • 300 grams frozen peas
  • 200 grams watercress (leaves and stalks), plus extra to serve
  • 1 handful fresh mint leaves, plus extra to serve
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 pinch sea salt, more to taste
  • 1 pinch black pepper, more to taste
  • 1 splash extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
  • Tahini Lemon Drizzle
  • 8 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 lemon, juice of
  • 250 milliliters warm water
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 pinch sea salt, more to taste
  • 1 pinch black pepper, more to taste
Directions
  1. Melt the butter in a wide saucepan, add the onion and fry over a medium heat for 6 minutes to soften. Add the garlic to cook for the last 30 seconds.
  2. Add the beans and stock. Bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the frozen peas to cook for another minute.
  3. Drop in the watercress and mint leaves, stir and remove from the heat―the green leaves will wilt in the hot liquid.
  4. Add the lemon juice and some salt and pepper, then transfer to a blender, or use a hand-held blender, and whizz into a smooth, creamy soup. Taste for seasoning and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some extra mint and watercress leaves.
  5. For the lemon tahini drizzle: Whisk all of the ingredients together. Drizzle over each soup portion to your liking.
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See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Lisa M. Spitz
    Lisa M. Spitz
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    gremolata
  • Susan Alderton
    Susan Alderton
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6 Reviews

gremolata
gremolata November 13, 2024
I love the Creamy watercress, pea and peppermint soup!I made it pretty much the same aws the recipe, did not have the white beans so used chunks of Idaho potatoes….
 
Susan A.
Susan A. May 4, 2024
I was a little disappointed with this recipe (I served it cold) as all I could taste were the peas. My guests agreed that there was little if any taste of watercress or mint. I don't think I will make it again.
 
Kbflint
Kbflint March 27, 2021
What is the garnish on top? I see the mint, watercress and tahini - but there appears to be something else? Peppercorns?
 
Marty L.
Marty L. June 5, 2018
Can't wait to try this! FYI I think you mean "bring to a simmer" not summer, although this looks like the perfect summer soup!
 
Lisa M.
Lisa M. June 5, 2018
Can you please translate into ounces etc. for those of us not familiar with grams.. Sorry for my ignorance!
 
Marty L.
Marty L. June 5, 2018
100 grams = 3.5 ounces roughly.
So 10.5 oz peas, 7 oz watercress, 14 oz beans, etc...
600 ml = 2.5 cups broth, 250 ml = 1 cup water