# Split Pea Soup

Creamy, deeply savory, and built on a century-old technique — a slow simmer with salt pork and onion that turns humble dried peas into something silky and substantial.

_Soup · American_

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 105 min · Total: 120 min · Yields: 6 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 cup dried green split peas (rinsed and picked over)
- 2 ½ quarts cold water (about 10½ cups)
- 4 oz salt pork (or a small smoked ham hock)
- ½ medium yellow onion (peeled, left in one piece)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk (warmed; plus more to thin if needed)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (omit if using ham hock liquid)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

## Instructions

1. Rinse the 1 cup split peas under cold water and pick out any debris. No soaking is required if using a modern stovetop simmer, but if time allows, soak in cold water for 1–2 hours and drain — it shortens the cook time by about 30 minutes.
2. Place the drained peas, 2½ quarts cold water, 4 oz salt pork, and the ½ onion in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the peas are completely soft and beginning to fall apart.
4. Remove and discard the salt pork and onion. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth, or ladle it in batches into a blender and blend until silky. Return to the pot over low heat.
5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the 3 tbsp unsalted butter. Whisk in the 2 tbsp all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the mixture smells faintly nutty and turns pale gold.
6. Whisk the butter-flour mixture (beurre manié) into the hot soup until fully incorporated. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the soup thickens slightly.
7. Stir in the 1 cup warmed whole milk. If the soup is thicker than you like, add more milk a splash at a time until it reaches a pourable, velvety consistency.
8. Season with 1½ tsp kosher salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust — if you used a ham hock, hold the salt until after tasting, as the pork will have seasoned the broth.
9. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. A drizzle of good olive oil or a few croutons on top are welcome but entirely optional.

## Tip

> Purée the soup while it's still very hot — the starch in the peas emulsifies more smoothly at temperature, giving you a silkier result than if you let it cool first.

Tags: comfort-food, weeknight, slow-cook, one-pan, vegetarian-adaptable

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/split-pea-soup
Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65061