Gordon Ramsay’s pea and mint soup is vibrant green, silky smooth and ready in under 10 minutes. It’s made with frozen peas, fresh mint and crème fraîche, topped with crispy prosciutto that shatters when you dip your spoon through it.
This is his Pea and Mint Soup with Prosciutto from Fast Food. The technique that keeps it so bright is adding the mint leaves to the boiling water before the peas go in, so the mint infuses the liquid while the peas blanch. Two to three minutes is all they need. Any longer and the colour dies.
Ramsay also has a cold version in Great British Pub Food called Chilled Minted Pea Soup, where he cools it over a bowl of ice and serves it as a summer starter. He warns to season more generously when serving cold, because chilling mutes the flavours. Both versions use the same base, so you can decide at the end whether to serve it hot or cold.
Gordon Ramsay’s Pea and Mint Soup
Course: Soup, Starter4
5
minutes5
minutes245
kcal10
minutesEasy
Gordon Ramsay’s pea and mint soup from Fast Food, blended with crème fraîche and topped with crispy prosciutto. Bright green, silky and ready in under 10 minutes. Works hot or chilled as a summer starter. About £4.50 to make, serves 4.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
4 slices prosciutto, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Large handful of fresh mint (about 6 sprigs), leaves only
500g (1.1 lb) peas, fresh or frozen
175ml (¾ cup) crème fraîche
Directions
- Crisp the prosciutto: Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sprinkle the prosciutto with black pepper and cook over a high heat until golden brown and crisp, turning once. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
- Blanch the peas: Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the mint leaves first, bring back to the boil, then add the peas. Blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender and still bright green. Drain, keeping the cooking liquid.
- Blend smooth: Tip the peas and mint into a blender. Add enough hot cooking liquid to just cover, about 500ml. Blitz to a smooth purée. Add a drizzle of olive oil and all but 4 tablespoons of the crème fraîche. Season and pulse to combine.
- Serve: Pour into warm bowls. Dollop the reserved crème fraîche on top and scatter over the crispy prosciutto.
FAQs
Can I use bacon instead of prosciutto?
Yes. Fry smoked streaky bacon until crisp and use it the same way. The flavour is smokier and saltier than prosciutto, so go easy on seasoning the soup. Ramsay uses a similar swap in his BSK Pea Soup where he tops it with crispy black pudding instead, which works if you want something richer.
How much does this soup cost to make?
About £4.50 for four bowls. Tesco Garden Peas 500g cost £1.65, prosciutto slices £1.32, crème fraîche £0.85 and a bunch of mint around £0.65.
It works well before crispy skin salmon or as a starter ahead of lobster risotto for a spring dinner.
Does pea and mint soup freeze well?
The base freezes fine for up to two months, but leave the crème fraîche out. Add it fresh when you reheat. The colour darkens slightly in the freezer but the flavour stays good. Fry the prosciutto fresh too because it goes soft if you freeze it in the soup.
Why does the soup go brown if I cook it too long?
Chlorophyll in peas breaks down quickly in hot water. A 2 to 3 minute blanch keeps the cells intact and the colour bright green. Past 4 to 5 minutes the chlorophyll collapses, the peas turn khaki and taste duller too. Ramsay uses the same rapid-blanch principle in his broccoli soup for exactly the same reason.
Blender or stick blender?
Ramsay says to blitz to a smooth purée, which means a proper jug blender. A stick blender leaves tiny bits of pea skin that make it slightly grainy. If a jug blender is all you have, blend in batches and press a cloth on the lid because hot liquid builds pressure fast.
