Recipes & Food Styling

No such thing as watery Split Pea Soup! 

I was so hoping my split pea soup would turn out like my mom’s. It was always so comforting and filled the house with incredible smells – bay leaves, peas, carrots, celery! So good for the mind and spirit. I couldn’t locate her recipe, so researched online and hodge-podged together an amazing soup that turned out to be just like hers. 

I got concerned midway through because the peas were so separate from the water, however that is just part of the process. The key thing is to not stop cooking until the water and peas are perfectly blended. If your pea soup is watery, it just means you have to cook it longer.   

Split Pea Soup

1 16-ounce bag of dried green split peas

1 ham bone with plenty of meat on it

1 medium or large red or yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 bay leaves

1 small bag carrots (about 10 sticks), chopped into dime-size pieces

5 sticks of celery, chopped into dime-size pieces

Using a strainer, rinse peas in cold water and let drain for a few minutes. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cover peas with 2 inches of water. Boil for 3 minutes, and then take off heat and let rest for up to 8 hours. Can soak overnight. Using a strainer, rinse peas and then drain.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, place peas, 9 cups of water, ham bone, onion, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to boil and then simmer for 90 minutes. Stir from time to time.

Take out ham bone and trim meat; dice meat and put meat back into pot. Put carrots and celery in pot. Continue to simmer for about one hour or until peas and water are no longer separate. Stir throughout.