Jamie Oliver's spring soup and ricotta toasts recipe

Ingredients

• 2 leeks (320 g)
• 1 x 285 g jar of artichoke hearts in oil
• 320 g frozen peas
• 320 g frozen broad beans
• 1 big bunch mint (60 g)
• 250 g ricotta cheese
• 20 g Parmesan cheese
• 1 lemon
• 4 slices wholemeal sourdough bread
• dried red chilli flakes

Instructions

1. Trim the leeks, then halve lengthways, wash, slice and place in a large deep non-stick pan on a medium heat. Halve and add the artichokes, along with 1½ tablespoons of oil from their jar. Cook gently for 15 minutes, or until the leeks are soft and sweet, stirring occasionally. Boil the kettle.
2. Add the peas, broad beans and 1 litre of boiling kettle water, then turn the heat up and bring to the boil while you pick and finely chop the mint leaves. Stir them into the pan, then blend half of the soup, either removing to a blender or in the pan with a stick blender, and stir it back through the rest for a creamier texture. Season to perfection and leave to simmer.
3. In a bowl, beat the ricotta with the finely grated Parmesan and lemon zest, season and loosen with a little lemon juice, to taste. Toast the bread, then spread 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture across each toast, stashing the rest in the fridge for another meal (it will keep for up to 3 days). Add a pinch of chilli flakes to each toast, then portion up the soup and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over, if you like.

Note

If you’ve got one, adding a Parmesan rind with the peas and broad beans will give an incredible depth of flavour. Feel free to add other green veg to the mix, too, such as asparagus, broccoli, green beans or edamame beans.

Nutrition (per serve)

Energy: 396 kcal; Protein: 19.9 g; Carbohydrate: 33.3 g (Sugars 6.3 g); Fat: 20.1 g (Saturated Fat 5.3g); Salt: 0.9 g; Fibre: 12.5g

Extract from Eat Yourself Healthy by Jamie Oliver, published by Penguin Michael Joseph © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2025, Eat Yourself Healthy). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2025.