Easy Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe with Carrots and Kale (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to thicken split pea soup? ›

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.

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.

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.

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.

However not thickened with traditional methods, the thickness of this soup comes from the cooking down of the split peas themselves. The longer you cook the pea occupied broth, the thicker the soup gets. This is a preference, so you choose your thickness.

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.

Pea Variety: The main difference lies in the type of peas used. Split pea soup is typically made from dried split peas, while green pea soup is made from fresh or frozen green peas. Texture: Split pea soup has a thicker and heartier texture compared to green pea soup.

Whether you soak or not, split peas should be rinsed, simply to remove dust or dirt. You can also soak them in water to pick them over for stones, but the chances of finding one are slim.

Use bones, such as a ham hock or shank, even a turkey carcass. The collagen in the bones thickens the soup and the meat adds flavor. Start with a big Dutch Oven, Stock Pot, or slow cooker (minimum 3–4 quarts). Dump in a pint of mirepoix - diced onion, celery, and carrot.

A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.

How do you add depth of flavor to soup? ›

"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.

Rinse split peas before cooking. Place 1 cup of split peas in a large pot with 2 cups of water and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until smooth, 25 minutes.

A one-pound bag of split peas contains about 2 cups, enough to make two batches of this soup, and costs about $1.

Green Split Peas: The star of the soup, green split peas break down during cooking, thickening the soup naturally and providing a creamy texture without the need for dairy.

I've never eating it that thick myself, though. The starches and the gelatin will form a mesh when cooling, so the consistency of the pea-soup will always be thick when cold.

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

Now just leave the soup to boil softly stirring about every 30 minutes, be sure when you stir you are scraping the bottom of the pot to keep everything from sticking. The soup should take most of the day, 6 to 8 hours, to thicken.