Creamy Split Pea Soup (Printer-friendly)

A rich, velvety blend of split peas and vegetables simmered to perfection, offering smoky notes and hearty nourishment in every spoonful.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 2 cups dried split green peas, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Aromatics & Liquids

07 - 1 bay leaf
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 6 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Optional

11 - 1 cup diced smoked ham or 1 ham bone

→ Seasonings

12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - Salt, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add split peas, diced potato, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable broth. Add ham or ham bone if using.
04 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until peas are soft and soup is thickened.
05 - Remove the ham bone and bay leaf. Stir diced ham back in if using.
06 - For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to puree part of the soup, or blend half in a standard blender and return to the pot.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually gets better as it sits—no stress if dinner isn't ready when you want it.
  • One pot means less cleanup, which might be the most underrated benefit of winter cooking.
  • The peas dissolve into creamy richness without any cream, pure plant magic.
02 -
  • Split peas thicken as they cool, so if your soup seems a little thin at the end of cooking, it will surprise you by the next day—add extra broth when reheating if it's too thick.
  • The difference between a good split pea soup and a great one is patience; don't crank the heat high to rush it, because broken-down peas from slow cooking give you that velvety texture that fast cooking never achieves.
03 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the split peas—it removes debris and helps them cook more evenly, which means no gritty texture hiding in your smooth soup.
  • If you're blending part of the soup, blend the peas and softer vegetables while leaving the carrots and celery chunks intact—it gives you creaminess with texture.
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