Creamy Split Pea Soup (Print Version)

A creamy, comforting traditional soup packed with hearty vegetables and smoky flavors perfect for winter warmth.

# What You 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

# Directions:

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. If using ham or ham bone, add it now.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and soup thickens.
05 - Remove the ham bone if used and bay leaf. If using diced ham, stir it back into the soup.
06 - For a creamier consistency, use an immersion blender to puree part of the soup, or blend half in a blender and return to the pot.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It fills your kitchen with the kind of warmth that makes you forget about the cold outside, and your entire house smells incredible for hours afterward.
  • One pot, minimal fuss, and you end up with enough soup to feed a crowd or have leftovers that taste even better the next day.
  • The texture becomes naturally creamy without any cream, just from the peas breaking down, which feels like a small kitchen miracle.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the split peas because the starchy water they sit in will cloud your soup and throw off the final texture.
  • The soup thickens as it sits because the peas continue to absorb liquid, so when you reheat leftovers, you'll always need to add a splash of broth or water to get back to the consistency you want.
03 -
  • If your soup ends up too thin, let it simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes to reduce and thicken, rather than panicking and adding flour or cornstarch.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning just before serving because salt intensifies over time and you don't want to oversalt something you're planning to freeze.
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