Equipment
Ingredients
Garnish
- 60 g prosciutto, thinly sliced
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil, high quality
Soup Base
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 10 g garlic, minced
- 300 g yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
- 900 ml vegetable stock, warm
- 400 g sugar snap peas, strings removed, roughly chopped
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 476 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 77 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1362 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1202 mg
- Calcium
- 122 mg
- Iron
- 3.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 78 mg
- Phosphorus
- 194 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 54 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 68 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 33 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.35 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 3.3 mg
- Folate
- 68 mcg
- Water
- 129 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lay the prosciutto slices flat on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the fat renders and the meat is deeply colored and crispy. Remove from oven and let cool, then crumble into smaller pieces.
In a large pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the diced Yukon Gold potatoes, vegetable stock, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely fork-tender and yield easily to pressure.
Add the chopped sugar snap peas to the pot. Simmer uncovered for exactly 3 to 4 minutes. The peas should be tender but still retain their vibrant bright green color.
Remove the pot from the heat. Working in batches if necessary, transfer the soup to a blender and puree on high speed until completely smooth and velvety. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
Ladle the hot soup into warm bowls. Top each serving generously with the crumbled crispy prosciutto and a final swirl of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Stringing the sugar snap peas is crucial for a smooth puree. Pinch the stem end and pull down the straight edge to remove the tough fibrous string before chopping.
- Yukon Gold potatoes are specifically chosen here for their buttery flavor and medium starch content, which provides a luxurious, creamy body without the need for heavy cream.
- For the smoothest possible texture, pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve (chinois) before serving. This removes any lingering bits of pea skin.
- If preparing this soup in advance, blanch the peas separately and shock them in ice water. Blend them into the reheated potato base just before serving to lock in the absolute brightest green hue.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the prosciutto separately at room temperature in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
Freezer: 2 months — The vibrant green color may dull slightly upon thawing and reheating, but the flavor will remain excellent.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Do not boil vigorously or the fresh pea flavor will diminish.
Troubleshooting
Soup is a dull, muddy olive-green color rather than bright green
Cause: The sugar snap peas were simmered for too long, destroying their chlorophyll
Fix: Cannot be fixed visually, but stirring in a handful of fresh baby spinach before blending can restore some green color
Prevention: Only simmer the peas for 3 to 4 minutes at the very end of cooking, right before blending
Soup texture is overly thin and watery
Cause: Potatoes were too small or not enough starch was released
Fix: Return pureed soup to the pot and simmer uncovered to reduce and thicken, or whisk in a small amount of instant potato flakes
Prevention: Ensure accurate potato weight measurements
Soup tastes excessively salty
Cause: Over-seasoning the soup base without accounting for the saltiness of the prosciutto garnish
Fix: Stir in a splash of heavy cream or unsweetened almond milk to dilute the saltiness
Prevention: Under-season the soup slightly during the cooking process and adjust only after tasting with the garnish in mind
Cultural Context
Spring pea soups celebrate the first delicate green harvests of the year. The culinary pairing of sweet, earthy green peas with cured, salty pork is a timeless motif found across Italian, French, and American countryside traditions. By using whole sugar snap peas blended into the base, this modern interpretation minimizes food waste while maximizing the vibrant, fresh flavors of the season.
