Ingredients
- 1 cup dried split peas
- 5 cups cold water
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ¼ cup thinly sliced celery
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch coarse salt
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed, or more to taste
- 3 bay leaves, or more to taste
- 1 cup sliced carrots, or more to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Why You'll Want This Again
Expert Cooking Tips
- Stir occasionally to prevent the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- If the soup gets too thick, add a little more vegetable broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
Step 1
Pick through the peas to remove any stones or bits that don’t look right. Rinse them well in a fine mesh strainer under cold water to wash away any dust. Pour the peas into a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, then add water, chopped onion, celery, a bit of ketchup, olive oil, salt, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat so it’s just a gentle simmer. Let it cook slowly, stirring and scraping the bottom every 7 to 12 minutes to keep things from sticking, until the peas start breaking down—this should take about an hour and a half.
Step 2
Once the peas have mostly fallen apart, stir in the carrots. Cover the pot again and keep cooking, stirring often, until the soup is thick and the peas have completely dissolved, which will take another hour and a half or so. When it’s ready, fish out the bay leaves and season the soup with pepper to taste. Give it a final stir and enjoy!
