Split Pea Soup

Why does split pea soup get such a bad rap? I think it is the unfortunately unfashionable color – pea green. Baby poo green. 1974 shag carpet and avocado refrigerator green. But despite its color, I still love it. And guess what? Baby likes it too!


Baby Split Pea Soup
Adapted from Cooking For Baby

1 cup split peas, rinsed and picked over
1 small pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 small parsnips, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup water

Put all ingredients in a small pot; bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until peas are very soft, about 45 mins, adding additional water as needed to keep peas covered. Puree in a blender, cool, then store in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Grown-up Split Pea Soup
Adapted from How to Cook Everything – if you have some on hand, fry up some bacon until crispy, chop it up and sprinkle on top. Chopped ham works too.

1 lb. split peas (minus the 1 cup used for baby’s soup), rinsed and picked over
1 small russet potato, peeled and quartered
½ medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
4 cups water or stock (enough to cover ingredients plus 1/2”-1” extra liquid on top)
Salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until peas are very soft, about 45 mins, adding additional water as needed to keep peas covered and tasting cooking liquid, adding salt to taste. Puree in batches in a blender and serve hot.