Lentil And Split Pea Soup
Lentil and Split Pea Soup
This easy-to-make and wholesome soup is especially nice to serve for a fall or winter family meal. The mixture of split peas and lentils gives this vegetable soup a nice texture, especially once it is blended until smooth. While it takes a little over an hour to cook, it's mostly hands-off, making it an easy cold-weather meal.
It’s best served with a crusty bread - I think it goes really well with sourdough. Don’t be afraid to dunk the bread! It might be a little rude, but is the best way to eat soup and bread together.
Ingredients
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups dried split peas, picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
8 cupswater
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for optional garnish
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for optional garnish
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the onions are soft and translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the split peas, lentils, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes.
Stir in the parsley, salt, pepper, basil, and thyme. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 40 minutes, or until the peas are falling apart and the vegetables are soft enough to mash.
Remove the bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Or let the soup cool a bit and pour it in batches into a stand blender and pureé. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, and fresh chopped parsley, if desired.