Content

• Method 2 of 2: Making Pea Soup
• Tips
• Warnings

1 Sort and rinse the peas. Since peas are a natural product, you may see small pebbles, dirt or pod residues in them. Go through the peas and pick out all the trash. After that, rinse it to remove dust.

2 Soak peas (optional). For split peas, soaking is not required in principle, it boils quite well. However, you can speed up the process by soaking the peas in a pot of water. Soak the peas overnight or four hours.

3 Chop up the vegetables. Chop up the carrots, onions, celery, and other vegetables that you will use to make the soup. Cut vegetables into small pieces for a thinner soup. If you want to make a thick soup, cut the vegetables into 6 to 12 mm pieces.

• If you want, you can grate half of the carrots to use later to garnish the dish.

4 Boil the ham (optional). If using a boneless ham, trim the meat from the bone and remove the fat. If using smoked ham, you can skip this step. You can use two options for adding meat to soup:

• Boil the meat. Skim off any foam and fat during cooking. Cook the meat for an hour.
• You can also boil the meat along with the peas. This will speed up the cooking process, but it can affect the taste of the dish, it will be less rich. In addition, peas can be too boiled, since the meat needs to be cooked for at least an hour or two so that it becomes soft (separated from the bone).

5 If you are looking to make a vegetarian pea soup, consider how you can add flavor to your dish. For example, garlic and peppers add flavor to a dish, while tomatoes help you achieve the desired consistency. Use vegetable stock instead of water. Add herbs and herbs such as rosemary and thyme. Alternatively, you can add white or red wine.

• However, acidic ingredients like tomatoes and wine can affect cooking times. The peas will take longer to cook. You can add these ingredients in small amounts or do it at the end of the cooking process.

Method 2 of 2: Making Pea Soup

1. 1 Bring the peas to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour 8 cups (1.9 L) of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent the peas from burning. Add the peas to the pot of water and bring the contents of the pot to a boil again. Stir frequently to prevent the peas from sticking to the sides of the pot.
   • If you are cooking meat in a saucepan, add the peas to the same saucepan, taking the meat out of the water.
   • If you haven't boiled the meat beforehand, add it to the pot of water where you put the peas.
2. 2 Place a lid on the pot and simmer the peas. Stir so that the peas do not stick to the bottom and burn.
3. 3 Fry the vegetables. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables, bay leaf, and herbs you use to make this dish. Cook for another 5 minutes. This will give your soup a rich flavor.
4. 4 Add vegetables to the soup if desired. The peas will be ready in 45-60 minutes. Cooking time depends on your personal preference. If you like hard peas, cook them for less time. If you like soft peas, cook them longer. Sometimes the boiling time for peas can be extended to 90 minutes or even two hours. Do not forget to add vegetables 30 minutes before the end of cooking the peas. (If you're not sure when to add vegetables, add them 20 minutes after the peas have boiled.)
   • Add bay leaves and herbs. Remember to add salt to your dish. Contrary to popular belief, salt does not affect cooking time. Do not salt if you are making ham soup.
   • If you prefer soft vegetables, add them right away.
5. 5 Prepare the meat. 30 minutes before the end of the boil of the peas, remove the meat from the pan. Wait for the meat to cool. Remove it from the bone and put the pulp in the soup. You don't need a bone.
   • If you want to make a puree soup, you can leave the meat in the soup.
6. 6 Grind the ingredients in a blender until a smooth paste is obtained. If you want to make a puree soup, you can use a blender or hand mixer to puree the ingredients. Remember to remove the bay leaves before you puree the soup with a blender. Skip this step if you are not going to make a puree soup.
   • When pouring the soup into a blender, do it carefully, adding a little at a time. Hot soup can spill over when churned with a blender.
7. 7 Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sea salt or kosher salt gives the dish a more delicious flavor. However, you can use the salt you have on hand.
8. 8 Serve hot. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve with fresh cornbread or biscuits. Sprinkle with grated carrots or croutons for extra flavor and a nice crunch.

Tips

• If the soup burns, just pour it into another pot, do not stir it, this action can spread the burnt peas throughout the dish.
• To freeze soup, take a sturdy plastic bag and pour the soup into it. Let the air out, tie the bag and freeze it. After thawing, add some water as you reheat the soup.
• On the second day, the soup will become even tastier, as it is infused, the vegetables will give all their taste and aroma. If you have some soup left over after lunch, you can put it in the refrigerator.

Warnings

• The peas will not stick to the bottom if you stir the soup frequently. Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Also, cook the soup over low heat.
• Be careful not to burn yourself when preparing this dish.
• Be careful when removing and butchering meat from soup. Tongs can help you avoid scalding your hands.