Split Pea Soup Recipe

Split pea soup recipe can be traced back to about 500 BC. At that time, it was sold by street vendors in Athens. The nations of Europe harvested peas as a common food source, and this made pea soup a popular dish in Germany, Finland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Some say that there is a tradition that dates back to before the Reformation of pea soup and pork and mustard being served with pancakes as a dessert on Thursdays. Whether this is true or not, it is a good story.

This split pea soup recipe is very simple to make and a great treat. Fresh or frozen peas can be used along with a great vegetable stock. The stock can be found on this site using the navigation menu to the left under soup stocks.

While there are no special ingredients to be found in this recipe, you will probably find all of the items already right there in your pantry. This recipe is easy to freeze for use later on, and when served with crusty bread and salad this makes it a great meal all by itself. Your family will love this flavorful split pea soup.

1 lb (2 1/4 cups) green split peas

6 oz ham (uncooked and chooped)

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 large leek, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large clove of garlic, halved

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Pick over the peas and remove any stones. Wash and drain peas. In a 4 quart pan place the vegetables, chooped ham and2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer. Skim the scum off the top of the soup for several minutes. Cover loosely and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Puree the soup with a blender. An immersion blender works great for this; if you are using a regular blender, take care to workin batches and only fill the blender halfway if the soup is still hot, and hold down the lid while blending. If you want an exceptionally smooth soup, pass the puree through a sieve.

3 Return the puree to the pot and heat to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with croutonsand parsley or chives.

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