Split pea soup is full of flavor, nutrition and fiber, gluten-free and low in fat.
About this split pea soup recipe
This split pea soup recipe is made with fresh ham hocks and chicken broth for extra flavor and minerals(from the bones and marrow). It has a smooth but hearty texture because the peas are soaked and then cooked long and slow. At the same time, it has a satisfying chunkiness from the vegetables and meat bits.
For a vegan soup, vegetable stock can be substituted for the ham hocks and chicken broth. Lamb or pork neck bones or beef oxtails make good meat alternatives to the ham hocks. Beef or turkey broth can be used instead of chicken broth. Use whatever vegetables are on hand.
All recipes should be seen as a starting point: make it once as written to get a feel for the dish and then start experimenting. Make each recipe your own and have several variations to take advantage of available ingredients.
This is a very simple recipe that does not call for sauteeing the vegetable in added fat or searing of the meat before adding to the soup. Everything goes into the pot together and gets plenty of time to tenderize and lend individual flavors to the dish. Searing the ham hocks and vegetables first will add extra flavor but also takes extra time and extra dishes to clean.
Split pea soup fits into every healthy whole food diet. Studies continue to consistently show that people who eat dried legumes regularly live longer and healthier lives than those that don’t. All of the reasons behind these findings are not clear but the final results are and cannot be argued(around 4 servings of dried legumes per week seems to be optimal). All of the other nutrients from the vegetables, meat and bones are additional icing on the health cake.
Ingredients for split pea soup
Lot of vegetables and fresh ham hocks make this split pea soup a very nutrition and satisfying meal.
1 pound(approx.) fresh ham hocks 1 1/2 cups red pearl onions
3/4 cup whole fresh garlic cloves 1 1/2 cups mushrooms(any kind), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cup celery, 1/2-inch slices 1 cup bell pepper(any color), 1/2-inch large diced
2 cups dried green split peas 2 cups chicken broth + 4 cups water(or to cover hocks)
Fresh and/or dried rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage, as available and to your taste.
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper(or red pepper flakes), added at the end to taste.
Split pea soup ready to add the broth and water and place on the stove.
Preparation of the split pea soup
1. Soak the dried split peas in enough water to cover for 3-4 hours. Drain remaining liquid and rinse with cold water before adding to the soup. This removes the complex sugars that make dried legumes difficult to digest for many people, causing unwanted gas and bloating. The long cooking time that follows also helps with this problem.
2. Rinse the ham hocks and place in the cooking pot.
3. Add all of the prepared vegetables and herbs to the pot.
4. Add the soaked and rinsed split peas to the pot.
5. Add the broth and water to the pot and place on a stove burner over medium-high heat until it reaches a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low to maintain s very slow simmer and stir well to ensure nothing in sticking to the bottom of the pot.
7. Check and stir the soup every 30-45 minutes until the peas are very soft and the ham hocks are fork tender. Add more liquid if necessary to keep the soup loose and prevent scorching.
8. Remove the ham hocks from the soup and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove all of the meat and any marrow and add back to the soup. Discard the bones, skin and fat.
9. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper(or red pepper flakes) to taste, simmer 20 minutes more, remove from the heat and serve.
Notes
The peas can be soaked in the morning before going to work and the soup made in the evening or they can be soaked before going to bed and the soup made the next morning. If the peas will soak more than 3-4 hours, place them in the refrigerator to prevent their getting too soft before cooking.
Cooking time depends mostly on the ham hocks and is usually around two hours total. Thoroughly cooked hocks make a more flavorful, nutritious and tender soup.
Puree the finished soup in a blender or food processor for a very silky texture without the vegetable and meat chunks.
Split pea soup makes an excellent cold weather appetizer course or a great entree with a salad during warmer times.