Best Split Pea Soup

There’s nothing like a classic split pea soup to satisfy your comfort food craving. This soup is chock-full of veggies that are blended along with the cooked split peas (great for picky eaters!) to give you the ultimate flavor and texture. It has a porridge-like consistency, which really fills you up and is good for you. You don’t need a rainy day to prepare a big pot of this goodness. I tested this recipe during a summer heat wave and was almost apologetic when I served it to my guests. But when one of them requested a cupful to take with him on the way to the airport, I knew we were good to go!

Serves 12

• 3 Tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 celery root, peeled and chopped (optional)
• 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, halved
• 3½ cups split peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 large sweet potato, grated
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt, or to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 2 cubes frozen parsley
• 1 kohlrabi, peeled and diced, for croutons (optional)
• cut up chives, for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a 7-quart pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, celery root if desired, and parsnip. Sauté for 15 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add garlic for the last 4–5 minutes.

Add the split peas and water to cover by about 1 inch (2½ cm). Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook for 1 hour, or until veggies and split peas are soft, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Blend with an immersion blender until a porridge-like consistency is achieved. Return to heat, add sweet potato, salt, and pepper and 2–3 cups boiling water. Stir, and cook for 15–30 minutes.