Split Pea Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you add flavor to a bland split pea soup? ›

Using onions, garlic, and fresh spices like thyme will add flavor to the soup. The real trick to making a bland pea soup extra tasty is using a bone or ham hock in the soup during the cooking process. Chicken broth will also add flavor to the soup.

If the peas are very old and dried out, they won't soften. And if the water you use for making the soup is hard with lots of dissolved minerals that can stop the peas from softening. Use bottled water if that is the case.

No. Split peas, like lentils, do not need to be soaked before cooking. Beans require soaking prior to cooking, but because these are peas they can be used directly in the recipe. It is still a good idea to rinse your peas thoroughly before cooking to remove any dirt particles.

Add a bit of lemon zest to make those peas really sing. You can try the fresh pea approach with your favorite split pea soup recipe, but this super traditional, easy version is an Epicurious favorite.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Split pea soup naturally thickens as the peas break down during cooking and also as it sits, especially if refrigerated. If it's too thick for your liking, you can easily thin it by adding a bit of chicken or vegetable broth, or even water, until you reach your desired consistency.

The common denominator will probably be meat (ham bones are common), more salt, and pepper to taste. If you want to take a shortcut, you could use bouillon cubes or paste to provide both meaty flavor and salt, though pork is a lot harder to find than chicken or beef. Salt and pepper you can just stir in.

These sugars are not broken down during digestion and therefore reach the colon mostly intact. Fermentation of pea's raffinose family of oligosaccharide sugars in the colon results in the production of intestinal gas.

A recipe for "pea soup" from 1905 is made with split peas, salt pork and cold roast beef. The soup is strained through a sieve to achieve the desired texture. "Split pea soup" is a slightly thinner soup with visible peas and pieces of ham, especially popular in the Northeast, the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

How to Thicken Split Pea Soup. The potato should make your split pea soup perfectly thick and creamy. However, if the soup is still too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up with full-fat cream (though it may alter the flavor a bit) or a cornstarch slurry.

How much water do I need for 2 cups of split peas? ›

Bring about 1.5 cups of water or broth to a boil for every cup of lentils or split peas. Add the lentils, allow water to return to boiling, reduce heat, partially cover pan, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the variety.

Luckily, there is an option that is just as accessible as ham hock, which can be found in nearly any supermarket. Smoked turkey meat, sold generally as legs or wings, is a worthy substitute for ham hocks, providing a comparable level of savory meatiness and smokiness.

Something light and acidic, like bruschetta with fresh tomatoes, or a salad with a lemony vinaigrette. pea soup can be a bit stodgy, so you need something to brighten it up. Perhaps a side of home made coleslaw, with a honey-mustard dressing.

The common denominator will probably be meat (ham bones are common), more salt, and pepper to taste. If you want to take a shortcut, you could use bouillon cubes or paste to provide both meaty flavor and salt, though pork is a lot harder to find than chicken or beef. Salt and pepper you can just stir in.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Yellow onion, celery, carrots and garlic – these vegetables built up the background flavors of the soup. They add some nice color too. Chicken broth and water – I like to use half chicken broth and half water (vs. all broth) so it doesn't overpower the delicate flavor of the peas.

Make sure you slow cook Pea and Ham Soup in the slow cooker for at least 8 hours, but 10 hours is even better (on low). The ham meat should literally fall off the bone and be shredded with a touch. Easily shreddable ham is an indicator that it's been cooked long enough to release a ton of flavour into the broth!