Split Pea Soup with Six Herbs

Forget the ham when making your next split pea soup. This recipe uses a combination of different dried herbs to give flavor without adding meat to the soup.

Split pea soup is often made with diced ham or simmered with a ham bone. While ham products provide great flavor to the split pea soup, it is also great on its own when prepared with different herbs for flavoring.

This recipe uses six different dried herbs, in smaller amounts to not overwhelm the ending soup flavor. The bay leaf, thyme, oregano, savory, basil, and marjoram are all used. If a particular herb is in the pantry that you like better, simply substitute one for another.

The herb split pea soup will serve about 6 to 8 servings, depending on serving size.

Split Pea Soup with Six Herbs

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken broth, plus a little more if a thinner soup is desired
• 1 cup dry green split peas
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 3/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 3/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried savory
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1/8 tsp dried marjoram
• Salt and black pepper, to taste if needed

Procedure:

1. Pick over the dry green split peas, removing any foreign bits.
2. In a small stock pot or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add in the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until they are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the chopped up garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute.
3. Pour in the chicken stock and add in the dry split peas.
4. Add the measured dried herbs, the bay leaf, and the soy sauce. Stir the ingredients in the pot.
5. Let the mixture come to a soft boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.
6. Cook over low heat for about an hour, until the split peas have softened and the vegetables are cooked. Continue cooking if needed,
7. Taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. If the soup is too thick or you prefer more broth, stir in a little bit of chicken stock to create the desired consistency. Otherwise, serve the soup hot.

The soup will thicken upon standing, and if it is made ahead for the next day. If the soup is too thick after it has been properly chilled and stored in the refrigerator, place the split pea soup in a saucepan and add in a little chicken stock to get the desired consistency. Heat until hot, and serve. If you prefer a smooth textured soup, puree the soup in batches until it is smooth.