Creamy Split Pea Soup

Confession: We’d never consumed a split pea until this week.

Even though the word “pea” is in “split pea”, for some reason I was still under the impression it was some kind of lentil. Turns out, it is in fact, a pea and it is super delicious. Jim’s cousin John told us about his recipes using split peas and I’d been wanting to make this soup for months. I completely forgot about it though, until we saw some foodie show the other day highlighting an eatery in Vegas that was famous for its split pea soup. I immediately felt compelled to make a vegan version and lunch that day ended up being this savory, lick-the-bowl-when-you’re-done bisque. I was never a red meat-eater, but for some reason, the hearty flavors of this dish would make it a good pairing for even the biggest veggie-hating carnivore.

2 cups split peas

8 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

4 or 5 red or Yukon gold potatoes, cubed

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cayenne pepper, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp black pepper

• In a large saucepan, heat oil with cayenne pepper and garlic over medium heat for 2 minutes
• Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT coconut milk and bring to a boil
• Once boiling, reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally
• After an hour, bring heat to medium and add coconut milk
• Let cook for 3 minutes, stirring continuously
• Transfer in batches into a blender until smooth and creamy