Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

A hearty vegetarian split pea soup simmered 3 to 4 hours with sauteed onion, garlic, celery, potato and carrots, finished with red wine, thyme, a touch of sesame oil and vinegar.

From the recipe book of Sandra Mills, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained cook in our family.

• Prep 20 min
• Cook 4 hr
• Total 4 hr 20 min

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Print recipe

Sandra Mills's split pea soup is vegetarian but every bit as rich as the ham-bone kind. Green split peas simmer for hours until creamy, then sauteed onion, garlic, celery, potato and carrots go in.

The finishing touches make it special: a splash of dry red wine, dry mustard, thyme and a few drops of sesame oil near the end, and vinegar, chopped tomatoes and fresh parsley just before serving.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Simmer the peas. Combine the split peas, water, bay leaf and salt. Simmer covered for 3 to 4 hours, then remove the bay leaf.
2. Saute the vegetables. Saute the onion, garlic, celery, potato and carrots in the oil. If necessary, add a little water to steam them. When tender, add them to the soup and continue simmering.
3. Season. About 15 minutes before serving time, add the red wine, dry mustard, thyme and sesame oil.
4. Finish and serve. Just before serving, add the vinegar, the chopped tomatoes if using, and the parsley.

Tips

• Stir the peas occasionally as they simmer; they settle and can stick to the bottom of the pot.
• The soup thickens as it stands. Thin it with a little water when reheating.

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