Meatless Monday: Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup is perfect January food: it’s warm, filling, healthy and frugal.

There are two varieties of split peas: green and yellow. This recipe uses the yellow ones – they have a slightly milder taste than the green peas and a lovely texture when they are cooked.

Split peas cook more quickly than dried beans, and like lentils, they don’t need to be soaked before using. You’ll find them in the section of the grocery store that has the dried beans.

The list of ingredients in this recipe might look a little long, but they are all easy to find items.

The recipe itself is very simple: you cook the peas and rice in stock with some sauteed onion until the peas are soft, then add the remaining ingredients and simmer a bit longer.

This is a satisfying dish all on its own, but with some fresh bread on the side you’ll feel that winter isn’t such a bad thing after all.

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Meatless Monday: Split Pea Soup

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 20 mins

Total Time

1 hr 40 mins

 

This frugal soup makes a satisfying one dish meal. It makes good use of cold season vegetables and provides excellent nutritional value.

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Mary Gillespie

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml oil
• 1 medium onion chopped (about 1 cup / 250 ml)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml brown rice
• 1 cup / 250 ml yellow split peas
• 4 cups / 1 liter vegetable stock
• 2 cups / 500 ml chopped cabbage
• 2 cups / 500 ml chopped kale
• 2 medium carrots chopped (about 1 cup / 250 ml)
• 3 stalks celery chopped (about 1 cup / 250 ml)
• 1 28 oz / 796 ml can chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups / 500 ml water
• 2 teaspoons / 10 ml oregano
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml basil
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml thyme
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml chopped parsley optional
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml salt
• 1/4 teaspoon / 1.25 ml ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon / 1.25 ml chili pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-low heat. When pan is hot, add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add onions and cook until soft - about 3-4 minutes. (If onions start to brown, turn down the heat.)
2. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
3. Add rice and split peas and stir to coat with the onion mixture in the pan. Toast for 1-2 minutes, then add vegetable stock.
4. Bring stock to a boil, then cover and turn down heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The peas should be soft but still retain their shape.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture back to a boil. Turn down heat, and simmer until the carrots and cabbage are tender, about 20 minutes.
6. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

You can replace the vegetable stock with water if you don't have stock available. The soup will still taste great, but the stock will add deeper flavor.

You can replace the kale with additional cabbage.