Let’s be honest. When someone tells you they’re making pea soup, you probably curl your nose up and immediately think of that gross, swampy, gray-green monstrosity your mom (or grandmom) made when you were a kid.
Oddly enough, I have the same reaction to pea soup, and – here’s a secret – I HATE PEAS!! So, what made me decide to put together this recipe? Simply: It was green. I made this dish for Christmas dinner because it was green. Whatever. I’ll do anything in the name of a great theme dinner, including eating pea soup despite the trauma I’ve endured from eating pea soup in the past (yuck!). 
The good news though? This soup isn’t yuck at all. In fact, as I bravely lifted the spoon to my mouth at the Christmas dinner table surrounded by friends, I was pleasantly surprised at how freakin’ amazing this soup was. Like – freakin’. amazing. It was so good that I made it again a week later when my husband and I decided to put down the red meat for a minute in exchange for some healthy veggie options.
What I found that really made this dish were the pepitas. On its own, the pea soup was creamy and flavorful, but it lacked a little depth. When you add to that these wonderfully roasted pepitas, your mouth explodes with happiness. If you’re wondering where the heck you can find pumpkin seeds (pepitas) in the middle of winter, head down to your local Whole Foods or Wegmans in the organic section. I actually found my pumpkin seeds in the checkout lane at Marshall’s HomeGoods (don’t judge). In fact, my impulse buy at the register of North Kingstown’s HomeGoods is what really fueled this recipe. So, I guess for that, you’ve got my Marshall’s obsession to thank for this wonderfully delicious and incredibly awesome bisque.
Creamy Pea Bisque with Spicy Roasted Pepitas
Serves: 6
Level: Easy
INGREDIENTS:
1 – 16oz. bag raw pepitas
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large shallot, chopped
1 1/2 lbs. sweet peas
4 c. vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
2 oz. creme fraiche, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium-size bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Stir until the pepitas are fully coated with spice mix. Spread the pepitas in a single layer on an aluminum baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes, stirring once. Once roasted, put
While your pepitas are roasting, melt butter over medium-high heat in a 2qt. saucepan. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth and peas. Cook until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes.
Transfer pea mixture to a blender to puree in batches until smooth, taking extra caution (hold down the top tightly!). Return pea puree to the saucepan and slowly whisk in heavy cream over low heat.
Ladle soup into bowls, and sprinkle desired amount of pepitas on top. Garnish with creme fraiche. Serve!
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