Creamy Wasabi Pea Soup

Most of us know wasabi only as a condiment that comes with sushi rolls but, believe me, it’s so much more than that. As an ingredient for soups, dressings, and sauces it’s all about the right amount! Even though wasabi can be overpowering, a hint of it adds a wonderful, interesting note. In this recipe, you can perfectly adjust the little wasabi kick to your liking or, if you wish, not use it at all. It’s completely up to you. This wasabi pea soup is super creamy, flavorful, gluten free and, of course, vegan!

You need:

• a high speed blender or good regular blender

Ingredients: (for 4-6 servings)

For cashew cream:

• 1 generous cup (140 g) raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours or overnight, drained (dump soaking water)
• 1 cup (240 ml) water

For soup:

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 lbs (900 g) petite green peas, frozen
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 2½ cups (600 ml) vegetable broth (preferably prepared with homemade veggie broth concentrate)
• 1 – 2 Tbsp wasabi paste (Please read notes!)
• Celtic sea salt to taste, if necessary

Toppings:

• 4 Tbsp cashew cream that were set aside
• 4 Tbsp peas that were set aside
• 3 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbsp hulled sesame seeds
• pea shoots
• edible flowers, optional (I used borage and nasturtium)

Preparation:

For the cashew cream, place soaked cashews with 1 cup (240 ml) water into your blender and process at  highest setting until very creamy, about 3 minutes. Leave cream in blender but remove 4 generous tablespoons and set aside in a small cup or bowl until later.

Preheat a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil with diced onion and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes until soft.

Add the frozen peas and thoroughly heat until thawed and soft. This takes 5 to 10 minutes. The peas should still have their bright green color, so don’t overcook!

Turn off heat and transfer peas to your blender on top of the cashew cream. Set 4 tablespoons aside for the topping!

Add nutritional yeast, parsley, and only about 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth to the blender. Make sure not to overfill! Blend at highest setting until very creamy.

Pour soup into your pot and stir in remaining vegetable broth.

Teaspoon-wise, whisk in wasabi paste until your taste buds are happy with the result.

Over medium heat, bring soup to a simmer and cook for only a few minutes until thoroughly heated. If necessary, season to taste with Celtic sea salt.

Meanwhile, toast pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium heat until light golden, add sesame seeds and toast until golden as well.

When the soup is hot, transfer to individual bowls, add a dollop of cashew cream to each, and garnish with, peas, seeds, pea shoots, and edible flowers for a colorful detail. Enjoy!

Notes:

• There are so many different brands of wasabi, and they all vary in their pungency levels; so start slow! You can always add more. If you use powder, combine it with water first and let sit for at least 10 minutes before you use it.
• Perfect to make ahead. Reheat slowly!
• Suitable to freeze without toppings!