Recipe: Savory Simple Split Pea Soup

  Split pea soup is a cold-weather favorite. Personally, I enjoy it all year round. A local eatery offers this prime potage every Tuesday, and I became hooked on it several years ago. Then, during the 2020-2021 pandemic closures, I found my split pea soup cravings cropping up.

 But I discovered that most of the store-bought split pea soup options (even the low-sodium ones) contained significant amounts of salt. Many also had MSG. The suggestion of either of those issues is almost enough to bring on a migraine.

 So I tried several recipes at home, tasting and tinkering, till I came up with my own favorite.

 One of the things I like best about this Savory Simple Split Pea Soup recipe (besides the fact that it’s yummy), is that I don’t have to soak the split peas overnight. The crockpot does the work, as the soup is slow-cooked for eight hours. It’s a perfect project for those days when I’m stuck at home with writing projects or babysitting in my proverbial Grandma hat. My souper supper cooks away all day long and it ready to go by dinnertime.

 Savory Simple Split Pea Soup fills the crockpot and happy bellies in midwinter or anytime. Here’s the recipe:

 

First, gather the ingredients for Savory Simple Split Pea Soup:

•  20 ounces dried split peas
• 5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 2 cups water
• 2-3 large carrots (chopped fine)
• 3 celery stalks (chopped fine)
• 1/2 cup onion flakes (or one medium onion, chopped fine)
• 1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 cup bacon (crumbled – or real bacon bits, but not smoky flavor)
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

Follow these instructions to make Savory Simple Split Pea Soup:

 Spray the inside of a crockpot with aerosol cooking oil. (I use olive oil spray.)

 Pour the dried split peas into a colander/strainer. Rinse them thoroughly, and dry them completely (air-drying or with paper towels).

 Pour the rinsed split peas into the crockpot. Add the broth, water, carrots, celery, onion flakes, parsley flakes, bay leaves, garlic, and thyme. (Save the bacon for later.)

 Plug it in the crockpot, and set it for low heat. Cover the soup mixture, and allow it to cook for 8 hours. Stir frequently (at least every 30-60 minutes), scraping the soup from the sides and bottom of the crockpot.

 Unplug the crockpot, and let the soup cool completely.

 Fish out the bay leaves, and toss them away.

• For traditional version (see photo): Blend the soup well with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula scraper.
•  For smooth and creamy version: Scoop about 1/3 of the cooled Savory Simple Split Pea Soup into a blender or food processor. (I use the Magic Bullet, unless I put it all in my Cuisinart Food Processor.) Puree this portion, then pour it into a large glass measuring cup (at least 8-cup size) or glass bowl. Repeat with remaining thirds until all of the soup has been pureed.

 Stir in the bacon. (Diced/cubed ham may be used in place of the bacon, if preferred.)

 Cover and chill Savory Simple Split Pea Soup until ready to use.

 Reheat the soup in a large saucepan or soup kettle, or warm it in the microwave. Top each serving with crunchy croutons (or broken tortilla chips) and crispy bacon bits, if desired.

 NOTE: Feel free to alter this Savory Simple Split Pea Soup recipe (such as omitting the meat or subbing vegetable broth for the chicken broth) for personal dietary restrictions or preferences.  You can even find vegan vegetable broth to make it.

 Image/s: Photo by LAN/PAH. All rights reserved.

 

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