Yellow Split Pea and Ham Soup (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between green and yellow split pea soup? ›

The difference between yellow and green split peas

They are both very similar, carrying mostly the same nutritional value and with similar cook times. The main difference is in flavour, as yellow peas have a mild earthy flavour, whilst green peas taste a bit stronger and sweeter.

Some people prefer to soak split peas, either for a few hours or overnight, and this can reduce the cooking time. Rinsing is a good idea if you're not soaking them. Pick through the split peas first and remove any debris that found its way into the package, then rinse quickly in a colander to wash away dirt.

If the peas are very old and dried out, they won't soften. And if the water you use for making the soup is hard with lots of dissolved minerals that can stop the peas from softening. Use bottled water if that is the case.

Do not overcook as they will become dry. Serve with spaghetti and pasta sauce or add to subs or wraps for a tasty vegetarian meal!

Split peas are green peas that have been dried, peeled, and split. The two varieties are green and yellow. Both have similar nutritional benefits and provide similar health benefits.

I prefer my split pea thicker. However not thickened with traditional methods, the thickness of this soup comes from the cooking down of the split peas themselves. The longer you cook the pea occupied broth, the thicker the soup gets. This is a preference, so you choose your thickness.

Whether you soak or not, split peas should be rinsed, simply to remove dust or dirt. You can also soak them in water to pick them over for stones, but the chances of finding one are slim.

To Soak or Not to Soak

It's true, soaking peas overnight in water shortens their cooking time. But soaking isn't entirely necessary. Split peas cook relatively quickly. Unsoaked peas take from 1 to 2 hours of simmering; soaked peas take about 40 minutes.

Update: If you overcook, the soup will get even thicker than usual! and turn a little bit of an olive drab color--it will still taste good though!"

Thankfully, Epstein notes that -- unlike dried beans, which need to be soaked overnight -- split peas require no soaking, because they cook much faster. Between prep and cooking time, this recipe can easily come together in about an hour, even with the added task of pea-sorting.

Can you eat raw yellow split peas? ›

Allergy Advice For Yellow Split Peas 500g:

Packed in a factory that also packs cereals containing gluten, peanuts, nuts, sesame and products which contain sulphur dioxide/sulphites. Warning: Do not eat raw.

If your split peas don't get soft, it's more likely they are old or were stored in a container that wasn't airtight. Even though they keep for quite a while, dried beans don't keep forever.

If the soup becomes way too thick add more water. Remove the soup from the heat and transfer the ham hock to a cutting board to cool for a bit. Discard fat and bones and then chop up the meat into small cubes. Return the meat to the soup and discard the bay leaf.

Add the split peas to a pot with your preferred cooking liquid—water, vegetable broth, and bone broth are all good options. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the split peas are tender but not mushy and most of the liquid is absorbed. It should take about 20 minutes.

You can cook dried green peas without soaking them in liquid, but they will take far longer to cook. Unsoaked green split peas will take approximately 35-45 minutes; unsoaked whole green peas take up to 75 minutes to cook.

Digestive spices such as hing, ginger, and cumin help to make split pea soup less gas-producing. Rinsing and soaking your split peas also helps them to create less gas.

Allergy Advice For Yellow Split Peas 500g:

Packed in a factory that also packs cereals containing gluten, peanuts, nuts, sesame and products which contain sulphur dioxide/sulphites. Warning: Do not eat raw.

In legumes, soaking has been found to decrease phytate, protease inhibitors, lectins, tannins and calcium oxalate. For example, a 12-hour soak reduced the phytate content of peas by up to 9% ( 12 ).