This vibrant spring soup is packed with peas, spinach, new potatoes, and fresh mint for a bowl that tastes exactly like the season. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and exactly what you need when the world starts turning green again!
March 1 is spring, right? Alex and I are dying for spring weather, so we’re starting with some spring food to usher in the season. This vibrant spring soup is the perfect way to do it, with its bright color and fresh flavors.
What might surprise you about this recipe is the depth in flavor. Cumin and coriander give the soup an almost meaty quality, and the potatoes make it hearty in a way that goes beyond just “pea soup.” This recipe was shared with us by Anya and Masha of the blog Golubka Kitchen from their cookbook, Simply Vibrant!
5 Star Reader Review
“The spices in this soup are perfect! Greens soup is usually a little flat; but this recipe kicked a usually boring soup into something elegant and wonderfully satisfying. I used a mixture of sorrel, arugula, spinach, and celery leaves. Divine!” -Nancy
What’s In This Spring Soup
The ingredient list leans on what’s actually available in early spring, though most of these ingredients are actually available most of the year:
- Green peas: Fresh or frozen both work.
- New potatoes: Small, waxy potatoes add heartiness to this soup.
- Baby spinach: Adds that beautiful green color.
- Chives and fresh mint: These fresh herbs are what make this soup: don’t leave them out!
- Onion, garlic, and celery: The aromatic vegetables that give the broth its flavor.
- Cumin and coriander: These unexpected spices add complexity.
- Lemon juice: A squeeze stirred into the pot brightens everything.
Tips for Making Spring Soup
The technique here is simple: you sauté the aromatic vegetables, then add the leafy greens at the very end to preserve their color and nutrients. Then you’ll blend just 1½ cups of the soup to make a creamy texture without losing all the vegetable chunks.
Pro Tip: Blend your partial cup while the soup is still hot, and make sure your blender lid is secured. Return it to the pot and stir.
Serving Suggestions
This spring soup is satisfying enough to be a main dish, but it needs a side dish to be a filling meal:
- A thick slice of crusty sourdough bread or garlic toast for dunking
- A spring salad recipe, like this butter lettuce salad with parmesan dressing
- A topping of toasted pumpkin seeds or croutons for crunch
- A gourmet grilled cheese or spinach artichoke grilled cheese sandwich
- As a starter before pasta: it pairs well with pesto gnocchi or a light tortelloni dish
Storage and Reheating
Leftover soup stores refrigerated for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of vegetable broth or water to thicken if necessary. While I haven’t tested it, I’d expect that this soup would also freeze well for up to 2 months.
About the Book
Anya and Masha are a mother and daughter living 1000 miles apart and exchanging recipes to keep in touch. Anya is author and Masha is photographer. There are 129 recipes in Simply Vibrant, all of which are vegetarian, 124 of them are vegan, and 109 of them are gluten-free or gluten-free adaptable. The book is full of bright-colored plant-based fare.
Dietary Notes
This spring soup recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Vibrant Spring Soup
Pin RecipeThis vibrant spring green soup is everything good about spring! Bright green and fresh, it features green peas, spinach, chives and mint.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
- 10 small new potatoes, cut into small cubes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 pound fresh or frozen English peas
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 to 3 green onions or chives, thinly sliced, for garnish
- Handful mint leaves, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander, onion, and a few pinches of salt; saute for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, celery, potatoes, a pinch of salt, and black pepper to taste, and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the lemon juice and let it absorb for 1 minute then pour in the vegetable broth or water.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the peas and greens to the soup and stir until the greens wilt.
- Transfer 1 ½ cups of the soup to a blender and blend until creamy. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Serve the soup garnished with chives, fresh mint, and a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
Reprinted with permission from Simply Vibrant: All-Day Vegetarian Recipes for Colorful Plant-Based Cooking by Anya Kassoff.
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