Split pea and carrot soup
On a brisk day, nothing warms the soul like a bowl of homemade split pea and carrot soup. This recipe shines the spotlight on a few hearty vegetables mixed with bacon. Serve the soup with homemade croutons and crumbled white cheese.
Ingredients
Soup
| 200 g | |
|
Butter
|
2 tbsp |
|
Bacon
|
100 g |
|
Onion
|
1 |
|
Dried shelled peas
|
380 ml |
|
Carrots
|
2 |
|
Bay leaf
|
1 |
|
Chicken stock cubes
|
2 |
|
Water
|
500 ml |
|
White pepper
|
½ tbsp |
Croutons
|
Baguette
|
½ |
|---|---|
|
Olive oil
|
4 tbsp |
|
Salt
|
|
|
Black pepper
|
|
|
Fresh thyme
|
2 tbsp |
Instructions
Croutons
Soup
Go for fresh ingredients
Quality and freshness are key to making the natural flavours stand out. Fresh, firm carrots and high-quality dried peas offer a more pronounced taste. The carrots will have a more vibrant colour and a sweeter, earthier flavour that can give your soup a small boost. Similarly, freshly sourced dried peas improve both texture and taste, resulting in a smoother, creamier consistency once cooked.
Freeze leftovers
If you want to freeze the soup, let it cool first. This prevents ice crystals from forming, which can spoil the consistency. Store it in airtight containers and leave a small gap at the top, as the soup will expand when frozen. This preserves the quality, allowing you to enjoy it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently when you want to enjoy it again.
FAQ: Questions about split pea and carrot soup
Making split pea and carrot soup might prompt a few questions. Here, we provide insightful answers that can help you get the soup just right every single time.
Do split peas need to be soaked before cooking?
No, you do not need to soak split peas before cooking them. They are small enough to cook well without soaking. However, we recommend rinsing them under cold water before cooking to remove any dust or impurities. This keeps the split peas clean, which, in turn, enhances the taste of your soup.
Can I overcook the split peas?
It is hard to overcook split peas to the point of spoiling them. When cooked for a long time, they become mushy, which can be beneficial in dishes like soups where a creamier texture is preferred.
How can I adjust the thickness of the spilt pea and carrot soup?
To thin the soup, add more stock or water while it is cooking. If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can let it simmer uncovered to reduce the liquid, or blend part of the soup and stir it back in. These simple methods will help you get your preferred thickness for the soup.
Nutritional values
Nutritional value, per
1312 Kcal
| Fibre | 8.5 gram fibers |
| Protein | 22.7 gram |
| Carbohydrates | 58.7 gram |
| Fat | 111 gram |
Warm and hearty split pea and carrot soup
If you love soups, you will be thrilled to try our warm and hearty split pea and carrot soup. Split pea soup has a rich history, rumoured to date back to ancient Greece – and one taste will show you why it has stood the test of time.
Our rendition includes some earthy carrots. They add a lovely texture and pump up the flavour. As they simmer with the split peas, they create a creamy, comforting soup with just the right amount of earthy goodness. It is perfect for chilly days, warming the body and delighting the taste buds.
We have a large collection of soup recipes, so feel free to try a few of them, such as spicy carrot and ginger soup, herbaceous pea and mint soup, or hearty chicken soup with curry.
A rich, savoury base from fried bacon, onion, and bay leaves
Every great soup starts with a delicious base. Ours consists of sautéed onions and bacon that caramelise wonderfully as they sizzle in the pot. They release savoury, slightly salty and sweet aromas that set the perfect foundation for the earthy flavours of peas and carrots to truly stand out.
As the bay leaves simmer, they release their oils and fill the air with rich herbaceous scents. Including them at the beginning allows these fragrances to weave deeply into the soup, adding a lovely taste.
Top with crispy homemade croutons and crumbled white cheese
Top the spilt pea and carrot soup with white cheese and homemade croutons. Croutons are a great companion that pretty much get all golden and crispy by themselves in the oven. Couple the bread with crumbled white cheese and savour the creamy texture it brings as it softens in the warm soup.
Play around with the ingredients
There is always room for experimenting with the recipe. If you want a spicier note, replace the bacon with diced chorizo. The rich, smoky chorizo flavour complements the peas and carrots while adding a slightly chewy texture to the creaminess. If you crave more veggies, throw a handful of fresh spinach or kale toward the end of cooking for added colour.
You can substitute the croutons with crispy fried onions or bacon bits. They offer a little extra crunch and a hit of savoury goodness, creating a flavoursome connection to the onions and bacon used for the base of the soup.
