Ina Garten Says This Comforting Split Pea Soup Is One of Her 'All-Time Favorite Comfort Foods'
This comforting split pea soup recipe is a perfect example of the upgraded yet familiar fare you’ll savor in Ina Garten’s new cookbook,
“One of my all-time favorite comfort foods is a bowl of split pea soup, dating back to the days when my mother served us canned pea soup with cut-up hot dogs (very ‘50s!)," says Garten. "Now I prefer a big pot of homemade soup to serve with sautéed kielbasa on top. I love the way the earthy, creamy soup contrasts with the crispy sausage.”
This soup is delicious left over and freezes well. If needed, stir in a little extra stock or water when reheating.
Related: Here's Ina Garten's Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe
[Reprinted from Modern Comfort Food. Copyright © 2020 by Ina Garten. Photographs copyright © 2020 by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House.]
- Duration
- Cook Time
- 6Servings
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cups chopped leeks, white and green parts (2)
- 2 cups (½-inch) diced carrots (3 large)
- 1½ cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 1 lb dried green split peas
- 8 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen twine
- 2 large fresh bay leaves
- 12 oz smoked kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally into ¼-inch-thick pieces
- Minced fresh parsley, for garnish
Preparation
- Heat ¼ cup oil in a large (11- to 12-inch) pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add leeks, carrots and onion; cook 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tender and starting to brown. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in peas to coat; cook 1 minute. Add stock, 2 cups water, ham hock, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 1¼ hours, stirring occasionally, or until peas are very tender and falling apart. (After 45 minutes, stir more frequently, scraping bottom of the pot to be sure soup doesn’t burn.)
- Discard thyme, bay leaves and ham hock. Transfer 2 cups soup to a food processor fitted with a steel blade; puree. Return puree to pot. Stir in more stock or water if soup is too thick.
- Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a medium saute pan over medium. Add kielbasa; cook 5–6 minutes or until browned, tossing occasionally. Serve soup garnished with kielbasa and parsley.
