Description
A hearty and comforting split pea soup, perfect for chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cups finely diced yellow onion (2 medium onions)
- 1–1/2 cups finely diced carrot (4 carrots)
- 1–1/2 cups finely diced celery (4 stalks)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)
- to taste Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1–1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 (32-ounce) containers vegetable stock (8 cups)
- 1–1/2 cups green split peas
- 2 bay leaves (dry)
- 1 lemon (optional, for juice and zest)
Instructions
- In a large (5 quart or larger) heavy-bottomed pot, over medium heat, add olive oil.
- Add onion, carrot, celery, and salt/pepper to taste (I add 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Cook until vegetables are soft and onion is beginning to turn golden, 7–9 minutes.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, thyme, red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
- Add in rinsed split peas, bay leaves, and vegetable stock. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, 60–90 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent peas from catching on the bottom of the pot.
- Remove and discard bay leaves. Remove 2 cups soup and blend until completely smooth. Return blended puree to the soup and mix through.
- If using, zest and juice lemon to get 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice; add to soup.
- Taste and season, adding additional salt/pepper as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with hearty buttered bread, a sprinkle of pepper, and fresh parsley or thyme if using. Add grated Parmesan cheese to individual bowls if desired.
Notes
- Note 1: Ensure to rinse split peas before adding them to the soup.
- Note 2: Serving suggestions include hearty buttered bread and extra toppings such as fresh herbs or cheese.
- Note 3: Cooking time may vary based on preference for the texture of the peas.
- Note 4: Blending part of the soup adds creaminess while leaving some texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 14g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg