Classic Pea Soup

Ingredients

• Dried green peas (1 cup)
• Water (4 cups (for cooking))
• Vegetable broth (4 cups)
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Salt (1 teaspoon)
• Black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
• Thyme (1 teaspoon (dried) or 1 tablespoon (fresh))
• Bay leaf (1)
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced)
• Celery (2 stalks, diced)
• Carrots (2, diced)
• Onion (1, chopped)
• Ham (1 cup, diced)
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Rinse the dried green peas thoroughly and soak them in water overnight. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, diced celery, and minced garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the soaked green peas, diced ham, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
5. Pour in the vegetable broth and an additional 4 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the peas are soft and tender.
6. Remove the bay leaf from the soup.
7. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree about half of the soup until smooth. This will create a creamy texture while retaining some chunky bits for heartiness.
8. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir well to combine.
9. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
10. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.