How do you sort and clean dried split peas?

Unlike many dried beans and lentils, split peas don’t require any soaking, which makes cleaning them super simple! Place the dried split peas in a colander. Pick through them, removing any shriveled or damaged ones. Any rocks or split peas that are discolored should be removed as well. Rinse them under running water, allowing your fingers to sift through them to be sure and rinse any dirt or dust off those that are underneath. It is good practice to do this just before you plan to cook them, as they can begin to clump together if they are left to sit in the colander for very long. This can make it difficult to separate them for even cooking.

What are other variations of this recipe?

There are a lot of simple swaps or add-ins you can easily do that will use up ingredients you already have on hand or make it your own. Swapping The Meat: Try one of these options instead of the ham bone: Swap in Smoked Turkey: You can substitute a smoked turkey leg for the ham bone if you like. Leftover Ham: Got leftover ham after a big holiday meal? You can use 1 1/2 cups cut-up cooked or smoked ham in place of the ham bone. Omit Step 3. Taste the soup after cooking—if it isn’t seasoned enough, add salt. Better with Bacon: Cut-up cooked bacon can be added instead of the ham—add as directed for leftover ham. Make It Golden: Substitute yellow split peas for the regular green split peas in Step 1. Cook for 15 minutes. In Step 3, Add ham and carrots. Cook 30 to 45 minutes or until split peas and carrots are tender. Make it Chunky: Add diced fingerling, new or red potato, additional chopped celery, and chopped tomato with the carrots. Herb It Up: Add 3/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves with the pepper.

How Can I Make My Soup Thicker?

You can make split pea soup thicker in a few ways. Cool It: The easiest is simply to allow it to cool. It will thicken as it cools. If you can make the soup a day ahead, it will be thicker. You can always add additional water to it while reheating, to get it to the thickness you desire! Cook It Longer: If after cooking, you would like the soup to be thicker, simply cook it a little longer uncovered. More of the water will evaporate, making the soup thicker, however, the carrots may get exceptionally soft with this method. Stir in Pureed Cooked Veggies: Stir mashed potatoes or cooked, mashed cauliflower or butternut squash into the soup until hot. This will thicken it while it also may change the flavor slightly.

Split Pea Soup

Name: Split Pea Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups dried split peas, (1 pound), sorted and rinsed; 8 cups water; 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup); 2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped (1 cup); 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 ham bone or 2 pounds shanks; 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 1/2 cups)

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9 Questions

Prep 20 min
Total 2 hr 50 min
Servings 8

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups dried split peas, (1 pound), sorted and rinsed
8 cups water
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped (1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 ham bone or 2 pounds shanks
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 1/2 cups)

Steps

1

In 4-quart Dutch oven, mix split peas, water, onion, celery and pepper. Add ham bone.
2

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 1 hour 30 minutes or until peas are tender.
3

Remove ham bone; remove ham from bone. Trim excess fat from ham; cut ham into 1/2-inch pieces.
4

Stir ham and carrots into soup. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or until carrots are tender and soup is desired consistency.

Preparing split peas for cooking is easy! Just place them in a colander and pick over the dried split peas to discard any grit or discolored peas. Rinse them to remove any dirt or dust and let them drain.
A ham hock or bone pairs perfectly with split peas but so will a smoked turkey leg. Its smokiness seasons the soup as well as ham. Remove meat from bone, chop into smaller pieces and stir into soup with the carrots; continue as directed in recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 170

Calories from Fat: 20

Total Fat: 2 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 15 mg

Sodium: 30 mg

Potassium: 690 mg

Total Carbohydrate: 33 g

Dietary Fiber: 13 g

Protein: 17 g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 86%; 86%

Vitamin C: 4%; 4%

Calcium: 2%; 2%

Iron: 12%; 12%

Exchanges:

1 Starch; 3 Vegetable; 1 Very Lean Meat;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.