Valerie's Split Pea Soup
Bacon, plentiful aromatics and a bit of cumin create a hearty split pea soup you’ll make again and again.
Servings 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup or so chopped onion (one medium onion)
- 1 cup or so peeled, diced carrot
- 2/3 cup or so peeled, diced parsnip (one medium parsnip)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 – 4 cloves garlic, minced—depending on how much you like garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin (see Kitchen Notes)
- 1 pound dried green split peas (no need to pre-soak)
- 1 pound or so potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 6 or more cups of liquid (see Kitchen Notes)
- black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the bacon into small pieces. Sauté it until it is lightly brown. Remove the bacon from the pan and pour off most of the fat—leave one or two tablespoons. Add the olive oil to the pan, then pour in the onions, carrots and parsnips and sauté until the onions are wilted and clear.
- Add the bay leaves, garlic and cumin—stir, then add the split peas, 6 cups of liquid and finally the potatoes. Grate black pepper over the whole thing, stir one more time, then bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover (leaving a little gap for some steam to escape).
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, and check to ensure there is enough liquid—if the soup is getting too stiff and dry before it is soft and done, add more stock or water. It will be done in about 45 minutes.
- Locate and discard the bay leaves. When the soup has cooled a bit, put half of it in the blender and purée it. Return the purée to the pot, mix everything together, and you are ready to serve.
- You'll note there was no salt added to the soup; bacon and broth will add some salt. Pass the salt shaker at the table and let dinner guests season to taste.
Kitchen Notes
Can I leave out the cumin? Don't worry, the final soup doesn’t taste of cumin. But please don’t omit it—it really does make a subtle difference.
Chicken stock? Water? What? I used 2 cups of stock and 4 cups of water. Honestly, you can just use water and that will be fine.
Can I make it vegan? Yes, you can leave out the bacon and and use only water, with no stock, to make this meat free.
What goes with this? This split pea soup is a meal on its own, but if you wish, you can serve it with a sandwich. If my sister were here, she would say: salami. A grilled cheese sandwich or just some cheddar on crackers works too. We had this with toast slathered with Dorothy's Comeback Cow Soft Ripened Cheese, a "cheese with real character" from Dorothy’s Cheese in Lena, Illinois. The whole thing was out of this world.