Lemony Split Pea Soup
It’s winter and you know what that means - citrus season time! We love winter in Arizona for many reasons: the cooler weather, sunny days, gem show, and fresh citrus! A little citrus goes a long way in brightening up hearty winter recipes.
Lighten up split pea soup with a little Meyer lemon for a bright take on this cold-weather classic. Use this recipe as a guide: it’s versatile and can be made vegan, vegetarian, or with meat and all versions are delicious. We’ve included a few variations here, but feel free to improvise. We like to finish this soup with a dollop of Meyer Lemon Yogurt Sauce for extra creaminess. If you’re opting for a dairy-free version, omit this or make it with a dairy-free greek yogurt.
Tools: We recommend using an immersion blender, but you can use a standard upright blender if you don’t have one.
Takes: 80 minutes, with prep
Serves 4-6
2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
2-3 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 stalks celery, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
16 oz dried split peas (about 2 cups), rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme leaves
Smoked ham hock (optional)
6 oz ham steak, cubed (optional)
2 tsp Desert Provisions Meyer Lemon Salt + more to finish
Meyer lemon zest, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish
1-2 tbsp of Meyer Lemon Yogurt Sauce (optional), to garnish
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to an enameled dutch oven or soup pot and saute cubed ham steak for 5 minutes over medium heat until slightly crispy. Set aside in a bowl for later. (Omit this first step if making a vegetarian version.) Using the same pot, add olive oil, and saute onion, celery, and carrots over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until onions are slightly translucent. Add thyme sprigs and bay leaves. (Add ham hock, if using.)
Next, add dried split peas and stir to combine. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45-60 minutes stirring occasionally until peas are tender and starting to break down.
Take pot off the heat. Remove ham hock, thyme, and bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, blend soup to the desired consistency. Add more broth (or water) to thin or continue cooking on low (lid off) to reduce and thicken. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully blend soup in batches in a blender (once soup has cooled slightly) leaving the vent in the blender lid open so the soup doesn’t splatter and burn you! I like to use a large glass measuring cup to remove soup and to add to the blender in batches. Add soup back into pot once fully blended and slowly re-heat.Add diced, cooked ham (if using). Cook on low, stirring occasionally to not burn. Add pepper to taste.
Plate and serve. Top with pinches of Meyer Lemon Salt, lemon zest, parsley, and a dollop of Meyer Lemon Yogurt Sauce (optional).
Cook's notes: What is so special about Meyer lemons? Well, they are seasonal and usually available in the early winter through early spring. In Arizona we source our lemons from a family farm, Aravaipa Farms, just north of Tucson. Meyer lemons are only available seasonally in grocery stores in the winter and early spring months. They are usually smaller in size and have smooth, thinner skin compared to a standard lemon. They are also less tart and a bit sweeter than your standard lemon.
If you don’t have access to Meyer lemons, feel free to use a standard lemon you can find any time of year in any grocery store.
