Smoky Herbed Split Pea Soup (Instant Pot Friendly)
This deliciously simple soup has only 8 ingredients, is straightforward to prepare, and results in a bowlful of deep satisfaction and comfort. Earthy, herbed, and with a subtle but essential smokiness, this thoroughly flavourful and completely plant based pottage is the perfect eating companion for the colder days of the year.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup sliced leeks, generously heaped *see note on cleaning
- ½ cup sliced celery
- 4 cloves garlic smashed with the side of a knife
- 1 small handful of fresh thyme sprigs extra reserved for garnish
- 2 bay leaves fresh or dried
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, slightly heaped
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups green split peas rinsed under fresh water just before using
- 6 cups vegetable broth/water in combination (I use 4 cups veggie stock and 2 cups water or all veggie stock)
- salt to taste, *see note
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice about half a lemon
Instructions
- For the Instant Pot:
- Add the olive oil to the stainless steel inner pot of your Instant Pot. Set your Instant Pot to the saute function (low or medium setting), and add the leeks, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and smoked paprika. Saute for 7-10 minutes, until the leeks are nicely softened, stirring often to prevent sticking or browning if you are using the higher setting. Add in a few generous grinds of black pepper, the washed split peas, and the broth. Stir well to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
- Secure the lid, with the pressure release valve set to “sealing”, and set your Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Important note: Once your Instant Pot has completed its cooking time, DO NOT release the pressure manually (as this will put you at risk of releasing boiling hot liquid out of the pressure release valve). Let the pressure release naturally on its own, making sure the locking pin has released and no more pressure remains inside the pot before you unlock and remove the lid.
- Once the soup is cooked and the pressure safely released, remove and discard the bay leaves and the thyme stalks. Either blend the soup while still hot in the stainless steel inner pot, by using a handheld stick blender, or decant the soup into an upright blender to puree when cooled. Puree thoroughly until completely creamy and liquid, adding a bit more broth if needed to adjust consistency.
- Once the soup has been blended, add the lemon juice, and taste for seasoning, adding additional salt as desired. If you need to adjust the consistency of the soup, add in additional amounts of broth as needed.
- Make sure to serve the soup piping hot, as pea soups have a tendency to form a skin on the top layer as they cool. Garnish with extra thyme leaves and a generous grind of black pepper. Enjoy!
- For the Stovetop:
- Follow the instructions as above, but instead of using the Instant Pot, use a heavy bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven. Once the initial ingredients are sauteed, and the broth and split peas added, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer, cooking for approximately 30 minutes until your split peas are tender and falling apart, making sure to stir occasionally. Exact cooking time with dried beans always varies depending on the hardness and age of the batch you are using. Proceed to blend, and adjust final seasonings and garnish as above.
Notes
A note on using and cleaning leeks:
Leeks are notoriously dirt laden, with all of those beautiful verdant layers hiding a gritty unwanted surprise unless you clean them most thoroughly. My solution to this issue is simple - I chop my leeks into the desired size, then toss them into a big bowl of cold water. Swishing the leeks around with my fingers loosens the dirt, allowing it to fall to the bottom of the bowl, leaving the clean leeks floating on the surface. To doubly make sure I don’t allow grit into my recipe, I scoop out the chopped leeks into a strainer, making sure not to disturb the dirt at the bottom of the bowl, and then give them an extra wash under running water, just to make sure. It only adds a few minutes to the overall cooking process, and ensures uninterrupted, grit-free eating pleasure.
A note on broth, salt, and soups:
As I often use commercially prepared vegetarian broths, bouillon powders, or cubes to save time, I find that salting the soup before it is done can lead to overly salty results, as many broths and products are generously salted. Unless you are using homemade broth, or salt free broth, make sure to salt the soup at the end of the cooking process, so you can control exactly how much you need to season the soup to your preference.