Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup
Ärtsoppa, a yellow split pea soup, is a classic Swedish staple. This recipe is another winner from my Swedish daughter-in-law, Mathilda, of Strong Adolfo’s cafe. As I don’t yet have my own kitchen (though it is close now) I have been hanging out with Mathilda in hers. We chat about food and have a good time creating meals together. Last week,s our co-creation was home-made vegetarian pizzas for the family. The pizzas were devoured as soon as they came out of the oven. Pizza, another recipe to share in the future so stay tuned!
Don’t be deceived by the simplicity of the ingredients for this yellow split pea soup. It is a richly flavoured, hearty soup which will warm your bones and satisfy your tummy. Traditionally, the soup is made with pork belly, however this whole food plant based version is equally as flavoursome. The soup can be quite thick, so if you prefer a lighter version simply add more stock.
The yellow split pea soup is best served with mustard, in fact, when eating this soup in Sweden,. each person is given their own little pot of mustard. Everyone will dip the tip of the spoon into the mustard before each spoonful of soup. I like to serve the soup with a green salad and warm, crunchy whole grain bread.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
Time: 1 hour
500 grams yellow split peas
1.5 litres vegetable stock
3 or 4 vegetable stock cubes, depending on the instructions for making stock
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
Whole grain mustard
What to do
1. Boil the water in a kettle and make the stock following the directions on the packet.
2. Chop the onion and garlic.
3. Sauté the onions in a hot pan until soft. Add a little water if needed to stop the onions from sticking. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot except for the salt and pepper.
5. Bring to boil and simmer gently. Stir frequently to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the peas have collapsed, about 40 minutes.
6. The soup will become thick as it cooks. Add more stock if needed to achieve the right consistency for your taste.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve topped with a little whole grain mustard.
Whole Food Plant Based Lifestyle Tip: Dried peas, may the unsung heroes in the world of super foods. They are packed with fiber which lowers cholesterol and prevents blood sugar level from rising after eating. In addition they are and excellent source of minerals and vitamin B as well as protein.
Yellow split peas are rich in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that binds bile (which contains cholesterol) and carries it out of the body. This fiber keeps everything moving along the digestive tract preventing constipation.
