Spring pea soup with miso and tofu
This delicate pea soup with Japanese flavors features sugar snap peas.
While cruising through the NYT Cooking app looking for pea soup recipes, I found one that features sugar snap peas and adds a little Japanese influence. The soup is light, absolutely delicious, and easy to make. It’s also nice that these pea pods are edible — chopping them is quicker than shelling English peas.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
- 1 leek, white and light green parts chopped
- 1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed and chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, heated
- 4 tablespoons white miso
- 4 ounces soft tofu (I think it could be firm and it wouldn't matter)
- Scallions or fresh mint chopped for garnish
Directions
- In a large soup pot, sauté the leeks in a neutral-flavored oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and season with a little salt and pepper. You can be sparing with the salt as the miso and stock will also add a salty flavor.
- Add water and enough of the hot stock to just cover the peas. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the remaining stock and stir in the miso. Cook for about a minute.
- Ladle soup into a blender until half full. Blend at high speed, making sure to leave an opening in the lid for steam to escape. I cover this with a clean dish towel. Place a fine mesh strainer over another saucepan and pour the blended soup into the strainer. Use a wooden spoon to smash it until most of the liquid passes through the strainer. Repeat until all the soup is blended. I had mixed emotions here because of the beautiful light green "solids" remaining in the strainer and wondered if the soup wouldn't be just as good without straining it.
- Reheat the strained, now very delicate, soup and season to taste. I am learning to add just a bit of salt at a time, tasting frequently (using a two-spoon method to avoid double dipping if you are serving guests) until just right.
- Place a serving of tofu in soup bowls, ladle the soup over it, and garnish with scallions or fresh mint.
Nutrition information (per serving)
- Calories: 215
- Total fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Total carbohydrate: 24 g
- Total sugars: 10 g (Added sugars: 0 g)
- Protein: 12 g
Sodium will vary depending on the amount of salt added.