Split Pea Soup

So simple and delicious, my favorite Split Pea Soup recipe is the ultimate winter comfort food that doesn’t break the bank. I make my split pea soup with bacon for a little bit of smokiness. It makes ALL the difference!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 5

Total Time 2 15

Servings servings

Calories 212kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

6 slices bacon preferably thick cut (see note 1)
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
2 celery ribs finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 pound split peas rinsed and picked over (see note 2)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pot, chop, and set aside. Do not drain grease.
Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the bacon fat and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add butter and flour and stir for 30 seconds.
Add chicken broth, water, split peas, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat and continue simmering for about 2 hours, or until split peas are tender and soup becomes thick and creamy.
Remove bay leaves, stir in chopped bacon, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes

Bacon: Or substitute a leftover ham bone. Since bacon provides a lot of fat for sautéing the vegetables, you'll need to add 1/4 cup olive oil to the skillet to cook the onions, carrots, and celery if you use a ham bone instead.
Split peas: Or substitute quick-cooking red lentils (no soaking required).
Yield: This recipe makes 10 generous servings, perfect for a family with plenty of leftovers.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition