Why it works: Peas and cream are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 29% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,400 recipes. Both carry 1-octen-3-one, which smells mushroom, metallic. The science ↓
Pea Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the soup
Put the two pints shelled peas, half a chicken, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper into one and a half gallons of water.
Cook until the peas are done.
Take the peas out of the pot.
Finish the soup
Return the peas to the water in a mashed state.
Add a quarter pound of butter rolled in flour.
Add half a pint of cream before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 3 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Pea | 1/2 cup (72g) | 62 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Peas + creamtop 29% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,400 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Peas
- Break down when mashed to give the soup body and a thick, earthy texture.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds richness and a silky mouthfeel, and carries the flour that thickens the soup.
- Cream
- Adds richness and a smooth, mellow texture to the finished soup.
The step that matters
Add the butter rolled in flour. Flour thickens only when its starch heats in liquid. Coating it in butter helps it disperse without clumping, so stir it in well and keep the soup hot until it thickens.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
More pea soup recipes
You might also like
Green Peas229 recipes
Green Peas Soup35 recipes
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Brown Bread461 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.