Post sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. See below for more details.
Some of my favorite spring days are after rain has moved through and the temperature is cooler than the day before. It's the type of day where I still want to cozy up with a good book and a cup of soup before the hot summer months hit. I usually use freekeh in grain bowls but the nuttiness and slight chewiness work really well in soups. Plus, it's quick cooking which means this pea soup comes together for a fast meal. This pea soup is best right after cooked but can be eaten the next day (you might need to add a splash or two of vegetable broth to thin out the soup).
PrintPea Soup with Freekeh and Pesto
An easy spring soup that uses hearty freekeh paired with spring peas and herbs.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course, Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium shallots (minced)
- ¾ cup Bob's Red Mill Freekeh
- 3 to 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups shelled peas
- ⅓ cup pesto ((homemade or pre-made))
- Salt/Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat. Add olive oil followed by minced shallots. Cook until shallots are soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the freekeh, followed by the 3 cups of the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, uncover and add the peas. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so until the freekeh is tender. Remove from heat, stir in the pesto, and add salt/pepper to your liking.
Notes
Tips & Tricks: Make your own pesto.
Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: freekeh, peas, vegetable broth
Nutrition: see the information.
Nutrition
- Calories: 377
- Sugar: 6.2
- Sodium: 172.9
- Fat: 22.9
- Carbohydrates: 35.4
- Fiber: 7.5
- Protein: 11.3
- Cholesterol: 6.4
Step by Step
Pea Soup
variations
One of the things I love most about this soup is that the peas can easily be replaced and the pesto can be switched up, depending on the amount of basil you have on hand. This soup reminds of barley soups I've made before, which means other grains (like barley, sorghum, or whole wheat berries), would also work.
Vegetables: Swap out the peas for chard, kale, sweet potatoes, or carrots.
Spinach: One of my favorite pesto recipes that doesn't require cups of basil uses spinach in place of 1 cup of basil. There's still the basil flavor but the spinach helps provide bulk.
Spice: Add a ½ teaspoon or so of chili paste to bring a little heat to the soup.
Explore Bob's Red Mill Freekeh
With a baby around, I use 90% quick cooking grains because my ability to think ahead for meals just isn't there. I love the nutty flavor from freekeh and the best part, it cooks up in about 20 minutes. This wheat grain works well in grain bowls, with eggs, or like this recipe- in soups and stews. A few of my other favorite freekeh recipes:
Black Bean Bowl with Freekeh
Freekeh Omelette with Olives
Freekeh Salad with Sweet Corn
Cassie says
I would love to try freekeh, but before I end up getting it, would quinoa also work with this recipe?
erin says
It would, you will just want to adjust the cooking time (less, by about 8 minutes) and maybe a bit less vegetable broth.
sara says
always looking for more interesting things to do with freeka! one question - does the pesto addition do anything weird to the leftovers? it's added right before serving, so wondering if the oil would separate or anything. thanks!
erin says
It separates slightly but the flavor doesn't change! If you have a high-speed blender, you can puree the pesto a bit better and that would help!
Vegan Heaven says
This looks so delicious! I love freekeh and can't wait to give this a try soon. 🙂
Kari says
This looks so warm and comforting!
Kari