Description
This Swedish Yellow Pea Soup is a comforting and hearty dish, perfect for winter. A simple yet satisfying recipe with tender yellow peas, smoky ham hock, and root vegetables, finished with fresh parsley for added flavor. It’s a classic Scandinavian recipe that will warm you up on chilly days.
Ingredients
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2 cups dried yellow peas
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2 bay leaves
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1 ham hock
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1 quart chicken or game stock (optional)
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1 leek, diced (or 1 large yellow onion)
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1 teaspoon dried thyme
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2 cups celery root, peeled and diced small
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2 carrots, peeled and diced small
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1 cup rutabaga, peeled and diced small
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3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
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Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Soup Base: Put the peas, bay leaves, and ham hock in a soup pot. Cover with water by about 2 inches (roughly 2 ½ quarts of water). Bring to a simmer and cook gently, partially covered, for about 2 hours until peas are tender and ham hock is falling off the bone.
- Prepare the Meat: Discard the bay leaves and remove the ham hock. Discard the bones and roughly chop the meat. Mince the skin and use at least half of it for added body to the soup.
- Puree the Peas (Optional): If desired, puree some or all of the peas using an immersion blender or regular blender. Be careful with hot liquids in the blender.
- Finish the Soup: Return the chopped meat to the pot along with any pureed peas. Add the optional stock, thyme, root vegetables, and leek. Simmer gently, tasting and adding salt if needed. Continue to simmer until the root vegetables are tender.
- Final Touch: Once the vegetables are tender, add the parsley and black pepper. Serve the soup with bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of stock depending on the consistency you prefer for the soup.
- This soup can be made ahead of time and stored for several days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 40mg