Vibrant watercress and pea soup with bacon crumbs
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Ant Duncan
Vibrant watercress and pea soup with bacon crumbs
A very fresh, very green soup that can be served cold as a vichyssoise, or hot if you prefer. Crunchy bacon crumbs complement the peppery watercress
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
290Kcal
Fat
16gr
Saturates
4gr
Carbs
21gr
Sugars
5gr
Fibre
8gr
Protein
12gr
Salt
2.5gr
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Ingredients
- 3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
- 21⁄2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 leeks, sliced
- 250g potato, peeled and diced
- 750ml vegetable or chicken stock* (made using 11⁄2 stock cubes or pots)
- 150ml milk
- 2 x 80g packs watercress
- 300g frozen peas
- 40g stale bread*
- single cream, to serve, optional
Step by step
- In a large saucepan, fry the bacon in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until crisp; remove to a small bowl. Add the leeks to the pan; season, cover and cook for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured.
- Add the potatoes, stock and milk. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender.
- Add 1 pack of watercress and the peas, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the watercress (keeping back a few small sprigs to garnish). Blend until smooth and season to taste. Chill if you wish.
- Whiz the bread and the cooked bacon to crumbs. Fry in 1⁄2 tablespoon of olive oil until golden.
-
Divide the soup between bowls, add a swirl of cream and top with the bacon crumbs and a sprig of watercress.
*Use gluten-free bread (and stock) if required.
