Read...
Cheesy Pea Soup with Roasted Pea Croutons (Vegan) I have been obsessed with pea soup this past month, thanks to a friend introducing me to a simple recipe from Covent Garden. I think I’ve made that recipe about four times this month.
But since I can’t leave a recipe alone, I’ve developed it into something even more delicious (if I may say so) by giving it a creamy, “cheesy” element and adding some yummy roasted peas as croutons.
Cheesy Pea Soup with Roasted Pea Croutons (Vegan) The “cheesy” flavour comes from the mixture of cashews and nutritional yeast. I also strongly suggest a small amount of miso paste which really helps give that fermented cheese flavour but you can definitely go without. Or you can use a small amount of soy / tamari sauce instead.
If you don’t know what nutritional yeast is and think it sounds gross, I promise it tastes so good and you’ll want to add it to everything! It’s a deactivated yeast (suitable for yeast-free diets) that has a naturally cheesy flavour when added to foods. Plus, it’s got lot’s of nutritional goodness too. You can find it online or in health food shops.
Cheesy Pea Soup with Roasted Pea Croutons (Vegan) The result is a velvet-y smooth soup that’s sweet, salty, cheesy and ridiculously moreish. I love the the contrast of the smooth soup and crunchy pea croutons.
The “croutons” are simply just roasted peas. Cooked until crisp and crunchy with some extra nutritional yeast. Delicious!
INGREDIENTS
For the soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
- 1 leek, roughly chopped
- 450g / 3 cups frozen peas
- 840ml / 3½ cups vegetable stock
- (optional) ½ tsp miso paste*
- ⅓ cup cashews, soaked for at least an hour in water
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- For the crunchy pea croutons
- 150g / 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the soup
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onions and garlic, until softened. Add the chopped leek and celery and cook for a further couple of minutes.
- Stir in the peas and add the stock. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the mixture to a blender, along with the miso (if using*), cashews and nutritional yeast.
- Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired.
- To make the crunchy pea croutons
- Preheat the oven to 200C and add the ingredients to a small bowl. Mix until well combined and the nutritional yeast has dissolved into the oil, coating the peas.
- Transfer to a baking tray and roast for approximately 20-25 minutes, shaking the tray every now and then to ensure even roasting. Once they are crispy and golden, they are ready!
NOTES
*The miso paste helps contribute to the "cheesy" flavour but it can be quite expensive - don't worry though it's not crucial to the recipe. You can also try adding a teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari sauce to give a similar flavour.
source>wallflowerkitchen.com/cheesey-pea-soup
