Creamy Split Pea Soup
By: Jennifer Manriquez
Published: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 - 11:57am

Ingredients




1 white or yellow onion, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cups water
16 ounce bag split peas
2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 cup unsweetened soy milk, or whole milk
5 sun-dried tomato halves, finely diced or minced
A few shakes of sesame oil
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (gluten-free, if preferred)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dash of chili powder
of cayenne
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sprinkle parmesan or nutritional yeast on top for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1 In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and oregano. Saute gently until onions are soft and translucent. 2 Add water, split peas, and all spices. Stir well and bring to a boil. Stir again, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and allow to simmer for half an hour, stirring occasionally. 3 Add carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, and milk. Stir well, and allow to simmer another 15 or 20 minutes, until carrots, tomatoes, and peas are soft. 4 Use an immersion hand-blender to whip the soup until it's nice and creamy. Do a taste test to see if you need to add any more spices or cook a little while longer. 5 Serve with a generous sprinkle of parmesan or nutritional yeast on top.

About


This is a delicious, creamy, soul-satisfying soup.
And it's very easy to "veganize" as well as make gluten-free!
Normally I would say to mince some uncured turkey bacon and saute it with the onions at the beginning, but since we're leaning toward healthier ways these days, I put a three-inch piece of kombu in my soup water instead of the bacon. If you have access to kombu (it's not very expensive, but can be hard to find - check the Asian aisle) I highly recommend it for all of your beans. It makes beans mucho flavorful, and it cuts down on the farts. Win win!