A traditional and hearty soup that always hits the spot on a rainy day.
The first time I had split pea soup it was at a small Danish restaurant in a novelty town in Southern California. I know it sounds bizarre to find a Danish “settlement”, so to speak, in that part of the US, but that is just how I happened to stumble upon this dish. I am not sure whether split pea soup is even part of the Danish culinary tradition or not, and come to think of it, I don’t seem to recall ever encountering it on restaurant menus in Copenhagen.
If you happen to know about its origins, please do share with us! Being of Italian descent, split peas don’t usually appear in our cuisine, although you can find them, occasionally, in pre-packaged lentil soup medleys. Chris is particularly fond of this recipe, so much so that he asks me to make it every few weeks as soon as the weather starts turning cold.
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Serves: 6 | Difficulty Level: ♦ – Easy-Peasy
the soup
- 8 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 cups Split Peas – rinsed
- 8 oz Tempeh
- 2 large Golden or Red Potatoes – chopped into 2″ cubes
- 4 stalk Celery – chopped into ¼” pieces
- 3 Garlic Cloves – minced
- 2 large Carrots – chopped into ½” pieces
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Thyme
to top off
- Sour Cream dollop – plant-based
- Black Peppercorn – cracked
- Pumpkin Seeds – optional
On to the Soup
In a medium bowl, soak the split peas for 15 minutes in cold water.
In a large dutch oven, brown the potatoes, carrots, celery, and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the broth, salt, thyme, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Rinse the split peas under cold water, drain, and add to the dutch oven.
Stew for 30 minutes on medium.
Slice the tempeh into thin ¼” pieces and add to the soup. Simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve with sour cream, cracked black peppercorns and pumpkin seeds (optional).
EXTRAS AND TIPS
Similar to lentils, split peas don’t need to be soaked overnight. It is good practice, however, to rinse them under cold water and sift through for dirt particles or debris. Although no soaking is required, I do put the split peas in a bowl of water for a few minutes prior to rinsing and cooking, simply because I noticed that they make a creamier soup when rehydrated.
The tempeh and pumpkin seeds are an optional addition to the soup. The benefit of including those ingredients, on top of being tasty, is the increased protein, healthy omega fats, and manganese, among other perks. For the tempeh, I like to use the organic 5 grain type (https://soyboy.com/products/5-grain-tempeh/).
As an alternative to the sour cream, you can top the soup with a nice dollop of almond yogurt for extra creaminess.
PAIRING SUGGESTION
Try it with the “Savory Acorn Squash Brioche“
