Description
This traditional Swedish Yellow Pea Soup is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for chilly days. Made with dried yellow peas, aromatic vegetables, and smoky ham, this slow-simmered soup delivers rich flavors and a satisfying texture. Served hot with a dollop of tangy mustard and optionally garnished with fresh parsley, it’s a classic Scandinavian comfort food that feeds 6 to 8 people.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 2 cups dried yellow peas, rinsed and sorted
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 ham bone or 2 cups cooked ham, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 cups water or chicken broth
- Salt to taste
For Serving
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
- Thin pancakes (optional, for serving on the side)
Instructions
- Prepare the Peas and Vegetables: Rinse and sort the yellow peas thoroughly to remove any debris or stones. In a large pot, combine the peas, water or chicken broth, chopped onion, diced carrots, chopped celery, ham bone (or diced ham), bay leaf, dried thyme, and ground black pepper.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. Cook until the yellow peas are tender and begin breaking apart, creating a thick, hearty consistency.
- Handle the Ham Bone: If you used a ham bone, remove it from the soup once the peas are tender. Strip off any meat from the bone, shred it finely, and return the meat to the pot. If you used diced ham from the start, simply stir it in after cooking time.
- Season the Soup: Discard the bay leaf and season the soup with salt to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed to enhance the flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls, add a dollop of mustard on top for a traditional tangy kick, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve alongside thin pancakes for an authentic Swedish meal experience.
Notes
- Sorting and rinsing peas is important to avoid grit in your soup.
- Using ham bone adds extra smoky flavor; substitute with cooked ham if unavailable.
- The soup thickens as peas break down, so stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Traditional Swedish yellow pea soup is often served with mustard and thin pancakes for a classic accompaniment.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the ham and use vegetable broth.
