Split Pea Soup

I have to make a confession. (Shhhh…I don’t like peas.) I never have and, though I will eat them if served to me or if I serve them as a side for our kids, they aren’t a vegetable I particularly enjoy. Just keep that in mind when you scroll through this recipe…because even people who don’t like peas can LOVE this hearty, delicious, healthy soup!

A few months ago when I wasn’t feeling well, my super sweet sister-in-law brought over this Split Pea Soup for our family. I’ll admit when I saw it, it didn’t look very appetizing. But if someone makes food for me, you better believe I will eat it and appreciate it regardless of my culinary preferences! And she is notorious for being an excellent cook! We set the table and dished out the soup for the fam (much to the dismay of our children who felt even more adamantly opposed to eating something green and chunky–their words, not mine).

But lo and behold, it was love at first bite for my husband and me. In fact, my husband could not stop complimenting our sister-in-law on the amazing soup for months until she finally gave us the recipe. :) The kids were a bit hesitant at first, but quickly concluded that they too were fans of the infamous Split Pea Soup. The soup is deceptively healthy…it is so creamy in consistency, that you think it must be a cream-based soup. But it is really just the peas expanding and softening during the process of cooking that give it its creamy texture.

Without further ado, here is the recipe. It is oh-so-perfect for cold winter days like today and would be equally as perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!

Download the recipe here.

1. Cook your bacon. I put a piece of parchment paper on a pan and cook it in the oven on 400 degrees Fahrenheit until it looks crispy enough for my liking (about 15 minutes…I like my bacon crispy). :)

2. Dice and sauté your yellow onion in 1-2 tablespoons butter (or you can use olive oil). I like for the edges of the onion to be nice and golden. Add your minced garlic as well.

3. Peel and cube the potato.

4. Measure out your dried split peas. We use 1 pound (or about 2 1/3 cups).

5. Dump the peas, potato, and bay leaves into the pot and stir continuously for 2 minutes.

Oops…I forgot the carrots! I didn’t happen to have any regular carrots on hand, so I just chopped up a cup’s worth of baby carrots.

Ding! The bacon is done!

6. Add the broth and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes. You’ll know the soup is done when the peas have softened and the soup has a creamy consistency.