Creamy Split Pea Soup (Printable)

A creamy, comforting bowl 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add split peas, diced potato, bay leaf, thyme, and broth. If using, add ham or ham bone.
04 - Bring 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 if used and bay leaf. If using diced ham, stir it back into the soup.
06 - For a creamier texture, 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • It requires almost no babysitting once everything hits the pot, letting you get other things done while magic happens.
  • The texture naturally becomes creamy without cream, so it's indulgent but honest.
  • One batch feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the split peas; grit hiding in there is a dinner party disaster waiting to happen.
  • The soup will thicken dramatically as it sits, sometimes to the point where you'll swear you made porridge; always keep extra broth handy for reheating.
03 -
  • Use a ham bone instead of diced ham if you want maximum flavor with less work; it infuses everything and you just fish it out at the end.
  • Don't blend the entire soup or it loses the textural interest; leaving some chunks of vegetables and peas makes it feel more like home cooking and less like baby food.
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