I made this Sweet Pea and Mint Soup with Chickpea Crumble on a Sunday when I needed something bright and warm at the same time, and it’s been on repeat ever since. It’s silky, vibrant green, hydrating, and the kind of soup that gives you a little bit of spring. The mint and lemon keep it fresh, the cashews and miso make it creamy without anything heavy, and the protein chickpea crumble on top is the part that turns this from a starter into a real dinner. Each bowl gives you 26 g of protein and 20 g of fiber, plus 10 mg of iron, which feels great for something that is pretty low effort, and takes 40 minutes from start to finish.
Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)
- Fiber-forward for gut health: peas, leek, spinach, and chickpeas combine for 20 g of fiber per bowl, great for our microbiome
- Iron-rich for steady energy: 10 mg of iron per serving from peas, spinach, and chickpeas, a real boost for everyday energy
- Plant-based creaminess, no dairy: cashews and white miso build that silky texture without cream, butter, or anything ultra-processed
- Antioxidant-packed: the bright green color comes from peas, spinach, and mint, all loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, and chlorophyll
- A crumble that earns its place: the baked chickpea crumble brings savory crunch, plant protein, and turns a simple soup into a real meal. It’s a great topping you’ll want to save to use on many soup recipes
- Weeknight-friendly: 40 minutes start to finish, mostly hands-off while the crumble bakes and the soup simmers
Ingredient notes
- Frozen baby peas: the heart of the soup, sweet and tender. Frozen actually works better than fresh here because they’re picked at peak sweetness and stay vibrant once blended
- Fresh mint: brings that almost-floral lift that keeps the soup feeling springy. Don’t skimp on it. Basil works as a swap if mint isn’t your thing, but mint is what makes this one
- Leek: gives a softer, sweeter base than yellow onion. White and pale green parts only, finely sliced
- Cashews and white miso: the two ingredients that build the creamy, savory backbone. Cashews bring the dairy-free creaminess, miso brings the umami depth
- Chickpea crumble: smashed roughly, tossed with maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast, then baked until golden. Crisp on the edges, savory all over
How to make this recipe (summary)
Start by preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C) fan, and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Sauté the leek in olive oil over medium heat with a pinch of salt and pepper, about 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the zucchini, garlic, and cashews, and cook another 5 minutes, stirring, until everything smells fragrant.
Thaw the peas under warm water in a colander if they’re still frozen, then drain and add to the pot. Stir for a couple of minutes to warm through.
Make the chickpea crumble while the soup cooks. Mash the chickpeas roughly with a fork or avocado masher, transfer to the prepared tray, and toss with olive oil, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway, until crispy and golden.
Blend everything with the vegetable broth, baby spinach, mint, lemon juice, and miso until silky smooth. Return to the pot and warm gently. Don’t let it simmer long, or the color dulls.
Serve straight away, ladled into bowls and topped generously with the chickpea crumble. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and tips
- Make it nut-free: swap cashews for sunflower seeds. Soak them in hot water for 20 minutes first to keep the soup creamy
- Stretch it for 4: serve each bowl with a thick slice of whole-grain sourdough on the side
- Crumble bonus: the same crumble works on avocado toast, roasted vegetables, salads, or grain bowls all week. Make a double batch
- Storage: the soup keeps 4 days in the fridge. Reheat gently to keep the green color. The crumble keeps 5 days in an airtight container at room temp
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our Healing Butternut Squash Soup, or Marry Me Chickpea Soup.
Why you’ll love this sweet pea and mint soup TL;DR
- Silky and creamy
- Fiber-rich
- Iron-rich
- Vibrant green
- Weeknight easy
FAQ
- Is this soup gluten-free? Yes, naturally gluten-free as written.
- Can I make it nut-free? Yes, swap cashews for sunflower seeds soaked in hot water for 20 minutes first.
- Can I freeze it? Yes. The soup freezes well for up to 2 months. The chickpea crumble is best fresh, so keep it separate and refresh in a hot oven before serving.
- What if I don’t have a high-power blender? An immersion blender works, but soak the cashews in hot water for 20 minutes first, blend them with one cup of broth in a glass pitcher until completely smooth, then add back to the pot before blending the rest, or swap for a store-bought cream.
- Can I make this oil-free? Yes for the soup. Sauté the leek and zucchini in a splash of vegetable broth instead. The chickpea crumble does need the olive oil to crisp up properly.
Sweet Pea and Mint Soup with Chickpea Crumble
This vibrant sweet pea and mint soup is one of my favorite spring meals. It’s silky smooth, packed with 20 g of fiber and 26 g of protein, and topped with a crispy chickpea crumble that turns it into a complete dinner.
Equipment
Ingredients
Sweet Pea Soup
- ½ tbsp (7 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium leek - white and pale green parts only, finely sliced
- 1 small zucchini - chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - sliced
- ¼ cup (35 g) raw cashews
- 4 cups (560 g) frozen baby peas
- 4 cups (1 L) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach
- ⅓ cup (30 g) fresh mint leaves
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tsp (10 g) white miso paste
- sea salt flakes - to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Chickpea Crumble
- 1 ½ cups (245 g) cooked chickpeas
- 1 ½ tbsp (22 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp (15 g) nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp (2 g) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
- sea salt flakes - to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) convection / fan on. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Make the chickpea crumble: Add the chickpeas to a bowl and roughly mash with a fork or avocado masher. Transfer to the prepared tray. Add the olive oil, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Mix well to coat. Bake on the top rack for 25 minutes, stirring halfway, until crispy.
- Sauté the leek and zucchini: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek, a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the zucchini, garlic and cashews, and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Thaw the peas: If the peas are still frozen, thaw by adding to a colander, and running under warm water. Drain and add to the pot. Cook while stirring for a couple of minutes.
- Blend: Remove from heat. Add to a large blender, with the vegetable broth, baby spinach, mint, lemon juice, and white miso paste. Blend until silky smooth. Return to the pot, and simmer on low heat until just warmed through. You do not want to let it simmer longer than necessary, as the color will get dull otherwise. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. (See notes for immersion blender).
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, top generously with the chickpea crumble, and enjoy straight away!
Notes
Servings: This soup makes 3 generous servings. To stretch it to 4, serve each bowl with a big slice of wholemeal sourdough.
Blender: I recommend using a standing high-power blender for this one so it gets really really smooth. Using an immersion blender, I think the cashews wouldn’t blend totally enough and it might remain a bit grainy and not bring that lovely creamy texture. If an immersion blender is all you have in hand, you could soak the cashews in hot water for 20 minutes, drain, add to a glass pitcher along with one cup of the vegetable broth, and work your immersion blender in there until completely blended and no longer grainy. Or you could use some store-bought cream instead.
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