Tender Split Pea Soup Recipe

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound dried split peas, rinsed
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 meaty ham bone
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 to 4 cups water
• 1 cup diced ham (from ham bone or added separately)

Garnish

• finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
2. Add the minced garlic to the pot and sauté for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the rinsed split peas, dried thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until combined.
4. Add the bay leaf, ham bone, low-sodium chicken broth, and 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas have broken down and the soup has thickened.
5. Using tongs, remove the ham bone to a cutting board. Dice the remaining meat from the bone, approximately 1 cup, then return it to the soup.
6. Stir the soup and simmer uncovered for another 5 to 15 minutes, until it reaches your desired thickness. Add additional water if the soup is too thick, keeping in mind it will thicken more as it sits.
7. Discard the bay leaf, ladle soup into bowls, garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of black pepper, and enjoy.

Notes

• You do not need to pre-soak the split peas for this recipe.
• If you use regular chicken broth instead of low-sodium, reduce the added salt to prevent the soup from being too salty.
• The soup continues to thicken as it cools, so adjust the liquid consistency while still simmering.
• For a vegetarian version, omit the ham bone and ham and substitute vegetable broth.
• The serving size is based on using 4 cups of water.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 450mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g