This smoky, salty Easy Split Pea S
You know how flavors can bring back vivid memories? Split pea soup is like that for me.
One whiff of it's smoky scent, and I feel the chilly spring afternoon air as I sat at my family's wrought-iron patio set. My grandfather had returned from a favorite deli with sandwiches and soups, and raved over how good the split pea was. The criss-cross of metal pressed into my thighs as I agreed to try the soup -- though I was rather skeptical about it. My legs dangled off the edge of the chair, too short to reach the ground, as I dipped the plastic spoon cautiously into the paper cup of soup.
It was amazing. I was totally surprised by how much I loved split pea. Heck, I think I surprised everyone when I ate a whole cup of it. The salty, smoky flavors, mingling with the slight sweetness of the split peas.
Until a few years ago, I never dreamed of making split pea soup myself. But when you bake up a ham every Easter (like I do!), it's so easy to whip together with a few simple ingredients.
While this recipe for Easy Split Pea Soup is easy, it is time-consuming too -- you'll need to let it cook for a few hours before you can dig in. So be sure that you have enough time for it to cook before you start making it.
The good news though? Most of the cooking time is totally hands-off.
PS - This is fabulous served with a buttery grilled cheese sandwich.
Easy Split Pea Soup
This smoky, salty soup with a hint of sweetness is easy to make -- just make sure you have enough time to whip it up.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth, I prefer Kitchen Basics
- 4 cups water
- 1 ham bone with a little meat still attached
- 1 lb dried split peas, soaked according to package directions
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot set over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the onions are softened and begin to brown ever so slightly.
- Add the stock or broth, water, ham bone and split peas. Stir well to combine. Bring to a slow boil and then set the timer for 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off, stir again. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook, stirring a couple times, for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and taste. Season, as needed, with salt and pepper to desired taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Notes
While this is easy to make, it is time consuming -- so be sure you have enough time to whip it up.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 425Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 863mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 10gSugar: 10gProtein: 33g
I love split pea soup and so do my kids, so I find myself making it a lot. Sometimes I cut up a turkey frank or two (sh, don't tell, I know it's not very healthy) and cook that in the soup as well. It adds some interest and the kids love finding the bits in their soup.
For me split pea soup reminds me of winter. Every Christmas when we drive up to the inlaw's, there are signs for miles advertising "Andersen's World Famous Split Pea Soup"
@Kate, A friend of mine told me that she dropped into the Anderson Pea Soup place on Highway 5 (California) looking forward to some delicious soup but it was so salty she could not even eat it. Unfortunately, commercial foods tend to have far too much salt.
@Kate, oh wow! California remember it well!!!
This is the second recipe from you collection that I have tried. It couldn't have been easier to make and the recipe was delicious!
Thank you once again!
Annalise
I love split pea soup ... your recipe sounds delicious!
Just made the split pea soup and it was outstanding!!!!
@Dlinda Wallace, What I like to do is to cook the split peas in their water/stock separately for the 1.5 hours until they are soft, then puree them with a machine and then add them to the rest. Otherwise I don't get the thick soup I want.
Why can’t I use my frozen peas?
Frozen peas and split peas are different versions of the pea. Split peas are dried beans that have been cut in half, resulting a bean that behaves more like a lentil and ensuring the familiar texture of split pea soup. They cannot be used interchangeably in this recipe. I'd recommend Googling "frozen pea soup" if you are looking for a pea soup that is made with frozen peas — the instructions will be tailored to how to work with that specific kind of pea ensuring optimal results.