Hearty Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• Green split peas (1 cup, rinsed)
• Vegetable broth (6 cups)
• Onion (1 medium, diced)
• Carrots (2 medium, diced)
• Celery (2 stalks, diced)
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced)
• Thyme (1 teaspoon, dried)
• Bay leaf (1)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Olive oil (1 tablespoon)

Instructions

1. Rinse the split peas under cold water and set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
3. Stir in the rinsed split peas, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and dried thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 1 hour, or until the split peas are tender and cooked through.
5. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup in batches to a standard blender and blend until creamy.
6. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil or fresh herbs if desired.