Smoky Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Step 1

I like to prepare all of my ingredients before starting the soup, so the cooking process can go easily and smoothly.  Heat a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil, diced onion, celery and carrot.  Add a pinch of salt and stir veggies together.  Cook until vegetables are starting to soften, 3-4 minutes.

Step 2

Next, add in the potatoes, garlic, dried herbs, cumin and smoked paprika.  Cook together for another 1-2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant.  Add in the split peas and veggie broth and mix together well.

Step 3

Bring the soup up to a simmer and then place the lid on, I usually leave a little space for air to get out so the soup doesn’t boil over.  Turn the heat to low/medium and cook soup until vegetables are softened and split peas are cooked to your liking.  The time will vary depending on whether you pre-soaked your split peas and how soft you want them.  I usually like mine to have a little bit of texture, but more on the mushy side.  After soaking my split peas in hot water for about 20 minutes before cooking, my soup cooked for about 75 minutes.

Step 4

Once soup is finished cooking, add about 3/4 cup of the soup to a blender (or just half if you prefer a chunkier soup), or food processor, and blend until mostly smooth.  It doesn’t have to be silky smooth unless that is what you prefer.  Pour the blended soup back into the soup pot and mix together until completely combined.

Step 5

Give the soup a taste and season with salt and black pepper, as necessary.  I like to garnish each individual serving with some fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice and a big sprinkle of extra smoked paprika.  Enjoy!