Split pea soup

This delicious, low cost, slow-cooker split pea soup is the ultimate cool-weather comfort food.

Serves: 6

Time to make: 6 hrs 20 mins

Hands-on time: 20 mins

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ cups sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery stalks
1 leek, light green and white parts only, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 cups water
200g smoked ham or bacon hock, fat and skin removed
2 cups split yellow or green peas, well rinsed and sorted

To serve
ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
6 slices wholegrain toast
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
fresh thyme (optional)

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Instructions

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1 Preheat slow cooker on high.

2 In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, leek, bay leaves and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and cover.

3 Turn heat to low and cook for 4 hours (or longer if you are at work).

4 Remove bay leaves and ham hock from the soup. Shred meat from bone and set aside.

5 Purée soup using a stick blender.

6 Add meat back into soup and stir through pepper and parsley.

7 To serve, divide among bowls with toast on side. Garnish with peas and fresh thyme (if using).

Variations

Make it vegan: Omit ham and check toast is vegan.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 475 cal

Kilojoules 1990 kJ

Protein 27 g

Total fat 11 g

Saturated fat 4 g

Carbohydrates 60 g

Sugar 9 g

Dietary fibre 13 g

Sodium 550 mg

Calcium 130 mg

Iron 6 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.