Classic split pea soup! Dried peas are cooked with ham, onions, garlic and leeks. This filling, hearty soup is perfect for cold winter days.
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There’s something about winter that just calls out for making pea soup, don’t you think?
Pea soup is made from dried peas and topped with flavorful, smoky ham drumsticks. It’s warm, filling, and great for leftovers. This pea soup recipe was adapted from Julia Child for an article in Parade Magazine years ago.
Video: how to make pea soup
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pea puree
what are peas
Split peas are different from the fresh peas that we use to make side dishes or mix into shepherd’s pie. They are a specific type of field pea that is meant to be dried for long-term storage. After removing the outer shell, the peas are cut in half along a natural seam, hence “split peas”.
Split peas are either green or yellow; For this soup we use green split peas. (Here’s a version with yellow peas.)
- Tip: Do not store your dried split peas for too long. Old peas take much longer to cook. If your split peas remain hard even after a long cooking time, the likely cause is that your peas were old. Even if you bought them recently, it’s hard to know how long they’ve been on the shelf in the store. Best advice? Consume the peas by their “Best Buy” time printed on the package.
Ways to top your soup
I like to top this soup with a handful of homemade croutons and some chopped parsley or chives.
It’s easy to make your own croutons (here’s how). You can also toast a piece of bread until it is completely dry and then tear it into pieces with your hands.
More topping ideas? Remove the meat from the ham shanks and stir into your soup, or add some smoked bacon or diced chicken. You can also add a handful of chopped baby spinach or another vegetable, or top your bowl with a swirl of diluted yogurt or sour cream.
Here’s how to store and freeze this soup
Pea soup can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week or frozen for up to three months.
Freeze, Cool the soup completely, then transfer to freezer containers or bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or gently reheat the frozen soup in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat.
Looking for easier soup recipes?
- One pot chicken and rice soup
- Easy Cauliflower Soup
- Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
- Fish stew with ginger and tomatoes
- Smokey vegan lentil stew
pea puree
For the herb bouquet: Tie 3 cloves of garlic, 4 allspice berries, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of thyme, 8 sprigs of parsley in a washed cheesecloth or place in a Bouquet Garni muslin bag.
ingredients
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1 lb (2 1/4 cups) green peas
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2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
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1 big Onion, peeled and chopped
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2 ribs celerychopped
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1 big Leek, chopped
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1 big carrotchopped
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1 large clove Garlic, halved
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1 herb ostrich (see recipe note)
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2 Ham, rinsed well
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Salt
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Fresh ground black pepper
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Small toasted croutons (avoid with gluten-free version), for garnish
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Chopped Parsely or chives, for garnish
method
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Pick the peas and remove all the stones. Rinse and drain the peas.
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Fry the vegetables:
Heat the olive oil in a large (4 quart) heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrot and leek. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
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Cooking peas with vegetables, herbs, ham and water:
Put the peas in the pot with the vegetables, the herb bouquet, the ham legs and 2 1/2 liters of water. Bring to a boil.
Skim the foam from the soup for a few minutes until the foam stops rising.
Partially cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the peas are tender, stirring occasionally if they stick to the bottom of the pan.
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Take the ham leg and bouquet of herbs out of the soup.
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Puree soup:
Puree the soup with a blender. A hand blender is ideal for this; If using a regular blender, be sure to work in batches and only fill the blender halfway when the soup is still hot and keep the lid pressed while blending.
If you want an extra smooth soup, pass the puree through a sieve.
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Remove the meat from the ham drumsticks (optional):
If desired, trim the skin off the ham thighs and remove the meat from the bones. Dice the meat and stir into the pureed soup.
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Season to taste:
Return the pureed soup to the saucepan and heat until it steams again. Season with salt and pepper.
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Serve garnished with croutons:
Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with croutons and parsley or chives.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 389 | calories |
| 8g | Fat |
| 57g | carbohydrates |
| 24g | protein |
