Split Pea Soup Recipe:
Easy Green Split Pea Soup

This split pea soup recipe is quick and easy - and it makes a delicious batch of deliciousness.

On a cold blustery day, nothing tastes better than a bowl of warm comforting pea soup, filled with nourishing ingredients. This is real comfort food!

I am so glad that I live where it gets cold in the winter. I don't think I'd enjoy pea soup nearly as much on a hot day. It's the perfect thing to eat after cross-country skiing!



Check that you have these staples at home

  • in the cupboard

    • dry split peas
    • salt
    • bay leaves
    • garlic
    • red wine vinegar
    • pepper

  • in the fridge or freezer

    • onions

Buy these fresh ingredients

  • celery
  • carrots
  • potatoes

Get out your equipment

  • Essential

    • a large pot with a lid
    • a cutting board and sharp knife
    • a vegetable peeler or vegetable brush
    • a wooden spoon or other stirring spoon

  • Nice to have but not necessary

    • a garlic press (if not, mince the garlic finely)
    • measuring cups and spoons (if not, estimate the amounts)




    The recipe

    3 cups/750 mL dry split peas

    8 cups/2 L water

    2 tsp/10 mL salt

    1 bay leaf

    2 cups/500 mL minced onion

    4 cloves garlic, pressed

    3 stalks celery, minced

    2 carrots, thinly sliced

    1 potato, thinly sliced

    3 Tbsp/45 mL red wine vinegar

    pepper

    Into a very large pot, place the peas, water, salt and bay leaf.

    Bring to a boil.
    Lower heat.
    Simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.

    When the 20 minutes is up, add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and potato.
    Add more water if needed (depending on how much has boiled away.)
    Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for another 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    If the peas are so mushy that they dissolve when stirred with a spoon, the soup is ready.
    If not, cook for another 10 or more minutes.

    Remove and discard the bay leaf.

    Add vinegar, and pepper to taste.



    Substitutions

    • Use another variety of vinegar - like cider vinegar, or white vinegar - in place of the red wine vinegar.

    Ideas for making this recipe your own

    • Make split pea and ham soup: just add some cubes of cooked ham to the cooked soup. Let cook just until the ham has warmed up. This is a great way to use up leftover ham!

    • Top each dish with a drizzle of sesame oil, or some diced tomato, or some fresh parsley, or….. (Use your imagination!)

    Tips

    • Depending on how your carrots look, you can choose to peel them or just scrub them.

    • If your potato is thin-skinned, you can just scrub it too, instead of peeling it.




    Menu suggestion

    Serve this dish with