Wild Garlic and Pea Soup with Crunchy Pumpkin Seeds

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Wild garlic and pea soup is a bright green, lightly garlicky soup. You simmer onion, potato and frozen peas in stock, then blend in raw wild garlic leaves at the end. It comes together in about 30 minutes in a single pot.

The potato does the job cream usually would, so the texture is velvety and the soup stays vegan. I use frozen peas because they’re frozen soon after picking and taste sweeter than most fresh peas sold in shops.

Timing matters with the leaves. Cook wild garlic for more than a minute or two and the soup turns dull khaki and the garlic flavor flattens, so the leaves go in last.

Served with a slice of seeded toast, a bowl eats like a full meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Comes together in about 30 minutes in one pot
• Potato gives body without cream or any dairy
• Freezes well, so a double batch covers lunches
• Toasted pumpkin seeds add crunch against the smooth soup

Ingredient Notes

• Wild garlic leaves: Use 100 g packed leaves, roughly two large handfuls, with thick stems trimmed. Out of season, swap in 100 g baby spinach, 1 small grated garlic clove and 2 tbsp snipped chives.
• Foraging safety: Lily of the valley and lords-and-ladies leaves look similar to wild garlic and are toxic if eaten. Crush a leaf from every bunch and check for a strong garlic smell, pick leaves one at a time, and skip anything you can’t identify with confidence.
• Frozen peas: Use them straight from the freezer with no thawing. Fresh shelled peas work too, but give them about 5 minutes instead of 3.
• Floury potato: Maris Piper or Russet blends smoothest. A waxy potato works but gives a slightly less velvety texture.
• Pumpkin seeds: Sunflower seeds toast the same way and keep the topping nut-free. Chopped toasted hazelnuts also work if nuts aren’t an issue.
• Vegetable stock: Check the label if you need gluten-free, since some brands contain wheat. A low-sodium stock lets you control the salt after blending.

Wild Garlic and Pea Soup with Crunchy Pumpkin Seeds

Key takeaways: it takes 30 minutes in one pot, stays vegan, and the wild garlic goes in for the last minute only. The soup keeps 3-4 days in the fridge and freezes for up to 3 months.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Soup

Cuisine: British

Calories: 301

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
• 1 yellow onion medium (150 g); finely diced
• 200 g floury potato, such as Maris Piper or Russet (1 medium); peeled, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 750 ml vegetable stock (3 cups)
• 500 g frozen peas (about 3 1/3 cups); no need to thaw
• 100 g wild garlic leaves packed; washed, thick stems trimmed, roughly torn
• 2 tbsp lemon juice from about 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

To finish

• 30 g raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (3 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml); for drizzling

Method

 

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 24 cm / 9.5-inch (4-quart / 3.8 L) pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the salt, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not browned.
2. Add the potato and stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer with the lid slightly ajar. Cook for 10 minutes, until a cube crushes easily against the side of the pot.
3. While the potato simmers, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry 20 cm / 8-inch skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking the pan, until they pop and smell nutty. Tip them onto a plate.
4. Stir the frozen peas into the pot, return to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, until bright green and tender. Take the pot off the heat, stir in the wild garlic and let it wilt for 1 minute.
5. Blend straight away until completely smooth, about 1 minute with an immersion blender. For a countertop blender, work in two batches, fill the jar no more than halfway and hold a towel over the vented lid.
6. Stir in the lemon juice, the remaining salt and the pepper, then taste and adjust. Thin with a splash of hot water if it's thicker than you like. Ladle into 4 bowls, top with the toasted seeds and drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.

Notes

• Use frozen peas straight from the freezer, no thawing needed.
• Add the wild garlic last and blend within 1 minute for the greenest soup.
• Season after blending, then taste again once the soup has cooled a little.
• Smell-check every handful of foraged leaves before washing and cooking.

Tips for Success

• Dice the potato into 1 cm cubes so it turns fully tender in 10 minutes and blends without any graininess.
• Add the wild garlic after the peas finish cooking and blend within 1 minute, so the leaves stay green and keep their bite.
• Blend in two batches if using a countertop blender, filling the jar no more than halfway and holding a towel over the vented lid.
• Season after blending, since stock and wild garlic vary in saltiness, and add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time until the flavor brightens.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for 3 minutes until they pop, then tip them onto a plate so they don’t scorch.

Variations

• Keep it vegetarian and richer by stirring in 4 tbsp crème fraîche after blending, then warm gently without boiling.
• Swap the potato for one 400 g can of drained white beans for more protein, and shorten the simmer to 5 minutes.
• Blend a small handful of fresh mint in with the wild garlic for a cooler, more spring-like finish.

Storage and Reheating

Wild garlic and pea soup keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Let it cool uncovered for about 20 minutes before chilling, which helps hold the green color. Store the toasted seeds separately in a sealed jar so they stay crisp.

For longer storage, freeze the blended soup in portions for up to 3 months, without the seeds or olive oil. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until steaming throughout. Don’t let it boil hard, because that dulls the color. Loosen with a splash of water or stock if it has thickened.

Serving Suggestions

Serve wild garlic and pea soup hot in wide bowls. Top each with a spoonful of toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

A thick slice of seeded rye toast or toasted sourdough turns it into a meal that eats like a full lunch. A soft-boiled egg on top keeps it vegetarian and adds protein.

For a lighter plate, serve a half portion next to a crisp fennel and apple salad. Leftovers pack well in a thermos for a weekday lunch.

FAQ

Why is my wild garlic and pea soup turning brown instead of bright green?

Overcooked leaves are the usual cause. Let the wild garlic wilt in the hot soup off the heat for about 1 minute before blending, because longer heat turns the chlorophyll olive-brown and mutes the garlic flavor. Cool leftovers quickly and reheat gently, since a hard boil dulls the color again.

Can I use spinach and garlic instead of wild garlic in pea soup?

Yes. Use 100 g baby spinach, 1 small grated garlic clove and 2 tbsp snipped chives in place of the 100 g wild garlic. Stir the garlic into the onion for the last 30 seconds, then add the spinach and chives off the heat. The flavor is milder and less herbal than wild garlic.

Can I freeze wild garlic and pea soup, and does the color hold up?

Yes, freeze the blended soup in airtight portions for up to 3 months, leaving off the seeds and olive oil. The color dulls slightly but the garlic flavor holds. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water or stock if it has thickened.

What goes well with wild garlic and pea soup to make it a full meal?

Seeded rye toast or thick toasted sourdough works best. For more protein, add a soft-boiled egg or a spoonful of white beans warmed in olive oil. The soup is smooth and light, so something with crunch and chew rounds out a lunch.

Is wild garlic and pea soup vegan and gluten free?

Yes, as written it’s vegan and gluten free, since the potato thickens it and olive oil replaces butter or cream. Check your vegetable stock label, because some brands contain wheat. If you stir in cream or crème fraîche, it’s vegetarian but no longer vegan or dairy free.

How do I tell wild garlic from lily of the valley before making this soup?

Crush a leaf and smell it. Wild garlic gives off a strong garlic odor, while lily of the valley and lords-and-ladies don’t, and both lookalikes are toxic. Wild garlic leaves also grow on single stalks from the base, whereas lily of the valley leaves wrap around each other in pairs. When in doubt, buy it from a grocer or skip it.

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