Butternut and Yellow Split Pea Soup
This fall soup is a velvety and comforting blend of hearty yellow split peas, sweet butternut squash, and delightfully salty smoked ham. Creamy and satisfying, not only does this earthy combination showcase warm fall colours but it also becomes a delicious easy one pot meal for those chilly nights.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 large onions chopped
- 1 leek white and light green section only, sliced
- 1 large butternut squash peeled and chopped
- 6 carrots peeled and sliced
- 6 ribs of celery chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 L good quality chicken stock unsalted
- 900 g dried yellow split peas rinsed and drained
- 300 g smoked ham steak with bone
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sour cream cream cheese, or plain Greek yogurt for garnish
Instructions
- Peel and chop onions.
- Clean and slice leeks.
- Peel and chop garlic.
- Peel and chop carrots.
- Peel and chop squash.
- In large soup pot, add oil and set on medium heat.
- Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Stir and cook for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Do not burn garlic.
- Add prepared carrots, squash, and celery to onion mixture. Stir to coat well.
- Rinse and drain peas.
- Trim ham steak.
- Pour chicken stock, peas, and ham into pot. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to simmer slowly with lid slightly ajar.
- Stir occasionally, adding a little water if contents are not covered completely by stock.
- Cook for about 1 hour or until peas are very soft and break down.
- Remove from heat. Remove bay leaves and discard.
- Remove ham steak, discard bone and shred meat finely. Set aside.
- Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Use immersion blender and purée soup until preferred consistency.
- Return meat to soup. Stir and adjust seasonings.
- Serve hot. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Garnish with a little sour cream, cream cheese, or plain Greek yogurt.
Notes
The consistency of this soup is thick. If a thinner consistency is preferred, add a little more water. Be sure to adjust seasonings.
If storing in fridge, the soup will thicken and may need more liquid when reheating. The soup freezes very well.
This soup can be transformed by adding other spices and herbs.
Suggestions:
- Stir 4 tsp of cumin with onion garlic mixture.
- For each bowl, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Garnish each bowl with chopped crispy bacon, sour cream, and chopped chives. For a vegan soup, use water or vegetable stock and omit the ham steak and dairy garnish.
If storing in fridge, the soup will thicken and may need more liquid when reheating. The soup freezes very well.
This soup can be transformed by adding other spices and herbs.Suggestions:
- Stir 4 tsp of cumin with onion garlic mixture.
- For each bowl, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Garnish each bowl with chopped crispy bacon, sour cream, and chopped chives. For a vegan soup, use water or vegetable stock and omit the ham steak and dairy garnish.