With winter taking its sweet time to graciously give way to spring, soups have been a reliable standby around here. I love making soups since you can pretty much toss in anything and they’re usually a “set it and forget it” type of deal. They’re also probably one of the most satisfying ways to make a meal vegetarian, because sometimes you just want a lighter, easier option. I know vegetable soup isn’t usually known to be filling, but here is an exception. This hearty split pea soup is relatively simple with few ingredients, but packs in big flavor and is surprisingly satisfying. Green split peas are full of fiber and become wonderfully creamy when slow-cooked, so they make an excellent and substantial base to this soup. Pairing them with warm, earthy spices, like turmeric and cumin, punches up their savory and smooth bite, making this an elevated version of the typical split pea soup.
I have sometimes opted to blend the soup once it’s cooked to make it perfectly smooth and creamy with a more uniform texture. Being a fan of texture, though, I usually leave it as-is, since the split peas and all the vegetables become creamy and melt after cooking together for so long. This makes for good mouth-feel; it’s not just baby-mush soup. For an even heartier variation, add in small diced potatoes and pearl barley. Potatoes beef up any dish they end up in and barley adds the most delightful chewy texture to a mostly creamy soup. Either way you go, this vegetable soup is a filling and flavorful bowl of warmth to weather the waning days of winter.
