What Is Split Pea Soup?
Split pea soup is a dish consisting of dried split peas as well as ham and other vegetables and spices. It is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter day. Or if you need a taste of something extra delicious in general.
This soup is beloved in many countries around the world and either green or yellow split peas may be used. As a result, its look would differ in color, from greenish to yellow respectively.
Also, due to its ingredients, split pea soup makes for a very healthy meal. And it's excellent for leftovers, too.
Where did split pea soup originate?
People have been making soups with peas for ages. In fact, there is a notable mention of such a dish in "The Birds" by Aristophanes. He was a playwright in Ancient Greece, and this comedy of his was performed in 414 BC.
On that note, hot pea soup was apparently sold in Athens around that time.
The British have also a lot to do with the history of this soup. An important reference is the following nursery rhyme:
Pease pudding hot Pease pudding cold Pease pudding in the pot Nine days old
In Middle English, the word "pease" was used to denote "pea." And pease pudding was a very convenient meal for seafarers. They even boiled the dried peas with salt pork which later evolved into a soup with peas and ham.
Other references include a story by British novelist William Thackeray and the book "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy.
As a bonus fun fact, a version of the soup made with yellow split peas is known as "London particular." Its name came from the yellow smogs in London i.e. the Great Smog of 1952.
Denmark is another country tied to the origin of split pea soup. Way back in the Bronze Age, dried peas were a useful ingredient among other vegetables. As for written records, the earliest is from 1766.
In Germany, pea soup was actually one of the first instant products, as invented by Johann Heinrich in 1867.
And in Sweden and Finland, this kind of soup originated prior to the Reformation movement in the 16th century. It was traditionally consumed on Thursdays whereas fasting was reserved for Fridays.
Here in the United States, there is a "pea soup" recipe from 1905 that includes split peas, salt pork, and roast beef as ingredients.
In addition, this dish is associated with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Indeed, in 1919, Boston Globe suggested green pea soup to be had for dinner on this holiday.
What are some split pea soup variations?
As we've already elaborated, split pea soup is a dish enjoyed in many countries worldwide. And with that, come some different alterations:
- Australia - Pie floater is a famous dish that combines a meat pie with a thick pea soup and tomato sauce.
- Canada - They have the traditional "soupe aux pois" or yellow pea soup. It is part of the Québec cuisine. Another notable version is the pease pudding in Newfoundland.
- Germany - Their split pea soup is made with the addition of bacon or the so-called Kassler.
- Indonesia - Their version is known as "sup ercis" or "erwtensoep."
- Netherlands - The Dutch are also big fans of this soup. They call it "erwtensoe" or "snert." Common ingredients include celery, onions, carrots, pork, and of course, green split peas.
- Scandinavia - Their split pea soup also comes with pork, onions, and some herbs. You would find it under names like "hernekeitto" and "ertesuppe." And in Denmark, they even serve it with pancakes.
How many calories are in split pea soup?
The number of split pea soup calories in one serving of 260 grams is around 160. This includes 3 g of total fat or 4% of the daily value based on a 2000-calorie diet.
In addition, there are 870 mg of sodium (36%) and 184 mg of potassium (5%). And the amount of total carbohydrates is 26 g or 8%. Plus, we got 8 g of protein (16%).
Lastly, we have 2% of vitamin C, 5% of vitamin B6, 9% of magnesium, 10% of iron, and 3% of calcium.
Where can I find split pea soup near me?
After all this info on split pea soup, you'd probably want to try some for yourself. If that's the case, no problem, we're here to help.
If you're in New York, a great place to get it is Luna Pizza. They're located on Park Row and are also offering pickup and delivery. You even save 5% on any online order via Slice!
Or you can also check out Lenz's Delicatessen. They're located on E 20th St and are open 7 days a week. Of course, takeout and delivery are available as well.
