Green Split Pea Soup (Printable)

A warming soup blending green split peas with smoked turkey leg and aromatic vegetables, perfect for chilly days.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 large smoked turkey leg (approximately 1 pound), rinsed

→ Legumes

02 - 2 cups dried green split peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

08 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 2 cups water

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Chopped fresh parsley
16 - Croutons or crusty bread

# Steps:

01 - Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
03 - Add rinsed split peas, diced potato, bay leaves, dried thyme, black pepper, and smoked paprika to the pot. Mix well to distribute seasonings evenly.
04 - Place the smoked turkey leg into the pot. Pour in broth and water, stirring to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Remove lid and continue simmering uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until peas and vegetables are very tender and soup has reached desired thickness.
07 - Remove turkey leg from pot. When cool enough to handle, shred meat from bone, discarding skin and bones. Return shredded meat to soup.
08 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Remove and discard bay leaves. For smoother texture, partially blend with immersion blender, or leave chunky.
09 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread or croutons if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The smoked turkey leg infuses every spoonful with incredible depth without needing hours of babysitting
  • This soup practically makes itself and tastes even better the next day
02 -
  • The soup will continue thickening as it cools, so dont panic if it looks thinner than you expected when hot
  • Always remove the bay leaves before serving, biting into one is an unpleasant surprise
03 -
  • Dont skip the step of sorting through the split peas, small stones are unfortunately common
  • Let the turkey leg cool slightly before handling, the meat pulls apart much more easily

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