Split Pea Soup
This Split Pea Soup is the epitome of comfort food, with its rich, creamy texture and hearty mix of vegetables, split peas, and savory ham.
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups finely diced onion
- 1 cup finely diced carrot
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.125 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1.5 cups green split peas rinsed
- 2 small bay leaves or 1 large
- 1 meaty ham bone or ham hocks
- 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- Fresh thyme leaves optional
- Hearty buttered bread for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and salt/pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened and onions start to caramelize, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add rinsed split peas, ham bone, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook until the peas are tender and the soup reaches your desired thickness. Add more broth if needed.
- If adding extra ham, do so during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the ham bone, shred the meat, and return it to the soup.
- Discard bay leaves. Take out 2 cups of the soup and blend until smooth, then mix it back into the pot.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with buttered bread, a sprinkle of pepper, and fresh thyme if desired. Enjoy the cozy flavors!
Notes
This soup is perfect for a cold day and pairs wonderfully with crusty bread. You can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make it vegetarian. Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste preferences.