Swedish Split Pea Soup, you could not get a more traditional soup than this. In Sweden this soup is called “Ärtsoppa,” and it is a very traditional meal that is usually eaten on Thursdays and for desserts you always have Swedish pancakes after the soup.
There are so many different recipes for Swedish split pea soup since it has been around for so many years, and passed down from the alders, but there is always peas and then some kind of cured meat, some folks will put sausage in their soup. But Swedes will eat their soup with mustard, which i love to do.
Today’s post is part of World on a plate, which is a blogging cultural exchange. On the last Sunday of the month, bloggers from all over the world get together to interpret a food through the lens of their home country cooking. Each blogger will produce a wonderful dish featuring the food chosen that is typical of her/his home country and will tell us a bit about the dish. This month the theme is soup.
I couldn’t be happier with this theme. When fall comes i start to go soup crazy. I have already made 4 different soups in the last 2 weeks. It is quick and easy when you need to heat some up, and the best part is that my little one loves all my soups. She isn’t liking the boring pureed vegetables anymore but want my soups instead. That is fine with me.
Throughout the week i will be featuring a few more soups with you.
Swedish Split Pea Soup “Ärtsoppa”
Yield: 4-5 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
1 lbs (500g) of dried yellow or green peas
10 oz (300g) of boneless cured ham or pork cut into ½ inch cubes
6 -7 cups (1,5 l) water
2 yellow onions finely chopped
1 leek finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp of finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
salt to taste (depending on your cured meat)
Directions:
Let your peas soak in water over night. Then rinse them and add to pot with about 6 cups of water. Bring to boil and boil for 2 minutes and then remove from heat and let stand covered for 1 hour. If there is foam on top remove that.
During this time cut up the meat, chop the onion and leek and simmer in a pot for 15 minutes. Once the hour is up add the peas to the meat and onion mixture. Then add the thyme, marjoram, pepper, ginger and Dijon mustard. Wait with the salt. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours. After 2 hours taste for salt and thickness. Add salt if required and add more water if the soup it too thick.
Serve with mustard.
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PolaM says
October 28, 2012 at 3:23 pmI love pea soup! I particularly like those cured meat pieces of goodness: the saltiness goes so well with the sweetness from the peas! I’d love to have it tonight!
Emelie says
October 28, 2012 at 3:48 pmI grew up on this soup. Both of my parents were born and raised in Sweden, so I was blessed to have been introduced to this stuff from birth. To this day, this soup remains an ultimate comfort food to me. 🙂
Heather @ Heather's Dish says
October 28, 2012 at 5:32 pmi really like the addition of the fresh ginger – sounds so warm and comforting! we’ve finally started to get some cooler weather here and i’m thinking a week of good soup sounds perfect!
Katerina says
October 28, 2012 at 10:40 pmI love the idea of adding mustard to this soup, it gives it a more interesting and flavorful touch! Soup is perfect for autumn and winter!
Rosa says
October 29, 2012 at 12:45 amSo comforting and delicious! A soup I’d like to eat for lunch…
Cheers,
Rosa
Anita@Hungry Couple says
October 29, 2012 at 2:16 amMmm…looks hearty and comforting.
Biren @ Roti n Rice says
October 29, 2012 at 4:56 amSoups are wonderful on cold days. This looks delicious with the cured ham and spices. I don’t see why not mustard in soups. Will give it added flavor.
Katherine Martinelli says
October 29, 2012 at 6:26 amI had no idea this was such a traditional Swedish recipe. Sounds delicious. I don’t eat split pea nearly enough!
Vijitha says
October 29, 2012 at 2:16 pmThe recipe is almost similar to Indian peas soup (dhal). We love the addition of ginger, it adds so much depth and flavor.
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
October 29, 2012 at 10:53 pmI used to order split pea soup every Thursday when I was working. I never know how to make it or even, this is a Swedish recipe (or eaten in Sweden!). Now you tell me it’s eaten on Thursday – it makes sense that it was offered every Thursday! My gosh, I didn’t know that! I must make this one day!
Erin@LawStudentsWife says
October 30, 2012 at 5:40 amNow is the time for soup! I’ve never seen this recipe before and am so intrigued. It looks like it would warm any chilly winter night. I’m also totally drooling over the swedish pancakes. Can I eat them for breakfast AND dessert please??
Kristi Rimkus says
October 30, 2012 at 5:52 amSplit pea soup is such a comfort food. My mom used to make it all the time. It was an affordably delicious way to feed a family of five!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
October 31, 2012 at 5:13 amI love split pea soup and your recipe sounds so interesting with the mustard and ginger as part of the seasoning.
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