Hearty Split Pea Soup is what’s for dinner. Actually, in my house, it’s usually lunch, and it’s only for me because Ron can’t eat legumes. No matter – this means I can tailor it to my liking – no potatoes; more carrots. A lot of parsley and black pepper. So satisfying.
It’s amazing to me how much sweetness the carrots bring in this recipe. The carrots nearly melt into the soup, but not entirely. I love those nuggets of orange-colored confection that lighten this earthy soup. The peas are sweet too (at least they are if you use Palouse Brand green split peas). And the soup is studded with salty, smoky bits of ham – not too much, just enough to provide a counterpoint to the creaminess of the carrots and peas.
It’s not a pretty soup, but Hearty Split Pea Soup is the first thing that comes to my mind when we have leftover ham, usually at Christmas or Easter. I love the big family meal, but I also look forward to indulging in the afterglow – a comforting bowl of sweet and smoky pleasure.
This Hearty Split Pea Soup recipe make a large pot of soup, and it’s so satisfying that you don’t eat much a a sitting. You may elect to halve this recipe if you’re cooking for one. Alternatively, if you make the full recipe, it freezes beautifully, so you can stash the leftovers in your frig and savor it at any time, not just after a holiday meal. Enjoy!
Hearty Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 4 carrots
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cup diced ham
- 2 T coconut oil
- 1/4 t black pepper
- 1 pound green split peas
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- fresh parsley (for garnish)
- black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prep – Finely chop the onion and celery. Dice the carrot. Mince the garlic. Cube the ham if you haven't done that already.
- Cook the onions, carrots, and celery – Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook until softened.
- Build the soup – Stir in the garlic and pepper, and cook for a minute or so. Add the diced ham, and cook for a minute or so. Finally add the split peas, the chicken stock and the bay leaf.
- Simmer and serve – Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cooking at a low simmer until the peas have softened and the soup has reached the desired consistency, 45 minutes to an hour. Chop the parsley while the soup is simmering, and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
