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Pea Soup Recipe

Rich, creamy, and naturally sweet homemade pea soup that delivers restaurant-quality flavor in just 30 minutes using simple pantry ingredients.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 220
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound dried green split peas, rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup diced ham (optional, for extra protein)

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. The vegetables should soften but not brown.
  2. Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the rinsed split peas, broth, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
  4. Let the soup simmer for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the split peas are completely tender and falling apart. Remove the bay leaf. For a completely smooth texture, use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. If using ham, stir it in during the last 5 minutes of cooking to warm through.

Notes

Don't skip rinsing the split peas to remove excess starch. Avoid boiling too vigorously to prevent sticking. The soup will thicken when cold, so add broth when reheating. Can be made in slow cooker: cook on low 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Substitutions: Use turkey instead of ham, or omit for vegetarian version. Frozen peas can replace split peas for faster cooking. Add coconut milk for extra creaminess.