Lettuce and Pea Soup with Mint

There are only so many salads a person can eat. One week in spring, I came home with three lettuces — one from the supermarket, one from the fruit shop in the village, and one pressed into my hands by my neighbour before I could think of a reason to decline. The fridge was full of good intentions and very little else. The solution, as it turned out, was soup.

This lettuce pea soup is bright, fresh, and ready in under twenty minutes. The iceberg melts into the base, the peas add sweetness, and the mint lifts the whole thing into something that tastes considerably more considered than its origins suggest. A dollop of crème fraîche on top and it's done.

Three lettuces, one solution - Lettuce Pea Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
125g leeks, sliced
400ml vegetable or chicken stock
400ml water
500g iceberg lettuce, shredded
125g peas, fresh or frozen
50g fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley, chives, or a mix)
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Small handful fresh mint leaves
Crème fraîche, yogurt, or sour cream to serve
Sea salt and black pepper

How to Make Lettuce Pea Soup

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and stir until softened — around 5 minutes.
2. Add the stock, water, peas, fresh herbs, cayenne, and shredded lettuce. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer to a blender with the fresh mint leaves and blitz until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Ladle into bowls and finish with a generous dollop of crème fraîche.

A good lettuce pea soup with mint is worth knowing. It works as a light lunch on its own or as a starter before something more substantial. Iceberg is often dismissed as a salad filler with nothing to say for itself — watery, bland, and not worth the shelf space. Cooked briefly and blended, it transforms completely. The high water content becomes an asset, giving the soup a clean, delicate base that lets the peas and mint do the talking. Use frozen peas if that's what you have—they work perfectly well here and arguably better than fresh out of season.

This recipe is part of the Soup Hub — The Flexible Chef's Complete Collection — every soup recipe from Casa Adora and the road. Explore the full collection.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.