Here’s a classic pea soup recipe—hearty, creamy, and comforting. You can make it with split peas or fresh/frozen peas depending on what you have. 🌱🥣
Classic Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried split peas (green or yellow) or 4 cups fresh/frozen peas
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1–2 bay leaves (optional)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- Optional: smoked ham hock, diced bacon, or sausage for flavor
Instructions
- Prep vegetables
- Heat oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened (5–7 minutes).
- Add peas & broth
- Add split peas or fresh/frozen peas, broth, and bay leaves.
- If using split peas, rinse them first.
- Simmer
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer:
- Split peas: 45–50 minutes until soft
- Fresh/frozen peas: 10–15 minutes
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer:
- Blend (optional)
- Use an immersion blender for creamy texture, or leave chunky.
- Season & serve
- Remove bay leaves.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional: garnish with croutons, parsley, or a swirl of cream.
Tips
- Smoky flavor: Add a small smoked ham hock during cooking and remove before blending.
- Thicker soup: Mash some peas or cook longer to thicken naturally.
- Vegetarian: Skip ham or bacon; add smoked paprika for depth.
- Make ahead: Soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
If you want, I can give a quick 15-minute green pea soup version that’s creamy and bright without long simmering.
Do you want me to do that?
