Creamy Split Pea Soup With Bacon

pea soup
Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 70 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 12 servings

Many people's first memory of pea soup is one made by a grandmother for a huge gathering of family and friends. Thick and hearty, served with homemade bread, split pea soup is loved far and wide as comfort food.

This version is made with a generous amount of bacon for garnish, along with a few potatoes and other vegetables to help thicken and flavor the soup. The half-and-half gives the soup a nice creamy consistency. Feel free to use diced leftover ham instead of bacon.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry split peas

  • 8 ounces bacon, diced

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 2 stalks celery, chopped

  • 2 quarts water

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 3 chicken bouillon cubes, or beef bouillon cubes, or equivalent base or granules

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 cup half-and-half

Steps to Make It

  1. Rinse split peas in cold water, pick over and discard any discolored peas or small stones. Set aside.

  2. In a Dutch oven or 6-quart pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.

  3. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Refrigerate until later, for garnish.

  4. In the bacon drippings over medium heat, cook the onion and celery until tender and lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.

  5. Add the split peas, water, potatoes, salt, pepper, bouillon, and bay leaf.

  6. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low.

  7. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes, or until peas are soft. Stir occasionally.

  8. Discard bay leaf.

  9. Carefully purée the hot pea soup in batches, filling the blender no more than 1/3 to 1/2 full each time. Make sure cover is secure when blending the hot mixture.

  10. Pour blended mixture into a bowl while blending subsequent batches.

  11. Return the mixture to the Dutch oven and stir in the half-and-half.

  12. Cook over medium heat until hot, but do not boil.

  13. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

  14. Sprinkle the reserved bacon on top of the soup just before serving.

    Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

    Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
284 Calories
9g Fat
34g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 284
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 497mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 5mg 24%
Calcium 55mg 4%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 637mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)