German Split Pea Soup (Erbsensuppe)

A bowl full of German split pea soup with vegetables, potatoes, split peas, and ham.

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This classic, hearty split pea soup has been a staple in German kitchens for generations, celebrated for its rich flavors and nutritious but budget-friendly ingredients.

Course: Soups

Cuisine: German

Servings:

Calories: 813kcal

Author: Jana Dziak

Ingredients

2 cups split peas Yellow, green or mixed. Rinsed well and picked over for debris and dirt and then soaked for 8-10 hours in water.
¾ cups diced bacon
¾ cups diced ham
1 large yellow onion Diced small
2 medium carrots Diced small
1 leek Sliced thinly into rings.
1.5 cups celeriac Or two ribs celery, chopped small.
3 medium russet potatoes Chopped small.
2 cups chicken or beef stock Or water and a stock cube.
1 tablespoon oil or fat Lard, tallow, ghee, olive oil all work.
½ cups fresh parsley Chopped.
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Instructions

Prep all of your ingredients: dice bacon and ham, onion, carrots, potatoes, thinly slice leeks into rounds. Don't forget that dry split peas must be soaked for 8-10 hours, or you will need to add an additional 1-2 hours of cooking time to the recipe.
Heat fat or oil in a large pot, and fry the onion and bacon until the onion is translucent and the bacon is golden.
Add the carrot, celeriac, and leek. Stir everything, then sauté for around 5 minutes as well.
Add the soaked split peas – including the water they soaked in – to the pot. Pour enough stock into the pot to cover its contents. In my case, this is around 3 cups of broth.
Add bay leaf, a small pinch of salt, and pepper (don’t forget the meat will also add salt to the water, and you may be using salted broth, so taste first).
Bring it to a boil and then lower to a simmer (if the water gets foamy remove the foam with a spoon).
Cover and let this cook for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add the potatoes and cook for 30 minutes more, partially covered and stirring occasionally.
Uncover and check for salt and pepper. If the soup is too thin, simmer it uncovered until more water evaporates to your liking.
At the end of cooking time, the split peas will be soft and falling apart; now, you can stir in the leftover chopped ham. This soup can be quite thick and dense or more watery — it depends on how you prefer to eat it.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with rustic fresh bread.

Nutrition