The pea soup recipe
for your table
Rinse the split peas and soak them overnight in plenty of cold water, or skip that step and cook them immediately. Soaking saves about half an hour of cooking time, but not much more, because split peas are already peeled and halved and will break down even without soaking.
Bring the split peas to a boil with the water and the pork trotter or bacon, skim off the foam and let everything simmer gently for one and a half to two hours with the lid slightly ajar. Stir along the bottom occasionally, as the peas settle there and burn.
Add the winter carrot, celeriac, leek and potato, cut into cubes, and let the soup simmer for another half hour, until the vegetables are tender and the peas have completely broken down. Remove the meat, cut it into small pieces and return it to the pan. Stir in a generous bunch of finely chopped leaf celery.
Slice the smoked sausage and add it to the soup only for the last ten minutes, with the heat on low. Boiling makes the casing burst and the fat run out; keeping it just below a boil keeps the sausage intact. Then let the soup stand overnight and slowly reheat it the next day.
What did you think of this recipe?
One click on a star is enough. If you would like to add something, we will read it first before it appears here.
Save this recipe
Send the pea soup recipe to your own email, so you have it at hand when you are ready to make it. You will also receive a € 5 discount code on orders from € 50 for the glasses that go with it.
The story
In the Netherlands, pea soup is also called snert, and most people only use that word once the soup is thick enough. That is not a joke but a practical distinction: soup that you can still pour is pea soup, while soup in which the spoon stands upright is snert. The recipe is farm-style cooking, and you can see that in the ingredients. Split peas were inexpensive and easy to store, the pig's trotter was the leftover cut, and the smoked sausage came from the same slaughter. The fact that the soup is better the next day is simply because the starch from the peas continues absorbing moisture as it cools.
The right glass
Drinking pea soup from a glass only works while the soup is still pourable, and then you want two things: thick glass that retains the heat and a handle so you do not burn your fingers. A proper glass soup bowl with a handle is not part of our range; the closest option is a tea mug made of heavy French pressed glass, with ridges that provide grip and a wall that keeps the soup warm for longer. If you want a larger portion, choose a tempered glass of just over thirty centilitres with a handle that, according to the description, stays cool. In both cases, fill it to three finger-widths below the rim, because hot soup sloshes more easily than you might think. If you serve it as a small bite, take a look at the appetizer glasses.
La Rochère Lyonnais tea mug 27.5 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Icon Mug tea glass 32 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 61,90.
The right tools
For pea soup in a mug, use a bar spoon beside the glass that is long enough to stir along the bottom of the pot, and cocktail picks for the slices of smoked sausage on the side. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 80,85.
What are you serving with it?
In the Netherlands, pea soup is accompanied by a drink. That is almost always genever, beerenburg, or vieux, poured in small amounts and served chilled. If you want wine with it, choose a robust red that can stand up to the bacon. On every drinks page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The vegetarian version leaves out the meat and gets its smokiness from a generous spoonful of smoked paprika, along with a splash of soy sauce for savory depth; use a robust vegetable stock instead of water as well. If you want it thicker, turn it into snert by cooking some of the peas longer and leaving the pot uncovered for longer. If you serve the soup as a snack, cut the vegetables into very small cubes so it flows through a cup. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Serve rye bread with bacon; it is the traditional accompaniment, and the salty bacon does exactly what the soup itself does not. At a winter gathering or on the sidelines, pour the soup into a cup with a handle and leave out the spoon; in that case, do not fill it more than three fingers below the rim. Reheat the soup slowly and stir along the bottom, because day-old pea soup is thick and burns quickly.
Good to know
Why is pea soup better the next day?
That is the rule of thumb everyone knows, and there is something behind it. As it cools, the starch from the split peas continues to absorb moisture, making the soup thicker. At the same time, the flavors of the meat, leaf celery, and vegetables develop further. So make it a day ahead, let it cool, cover it, refrigerate it, and reheat it slowly.
How thick is thick enough?
The proverbial test is a spoon that stays upright in the pot. That is for snert; for pea soup you drink from a cup, you want it a touch thinner, so it still flows. If it is too thick, thin it with hot water or stock. If it is too thin, reduce it uncovered, or purée some of the peas and stir them back in.
Do split peas need to be soaked?
You don't have to. Split peas are already peeled and halved, so they break down even without soaking. Soaking overnight saves about half an hour of cooking time and not much more. If you choose to soak them, discard the soaking water and cook the peas in fresh water.
Why shouldn't the smoked sausage cook along with the soup?
Because the casing will burst and the fat will run into the soup. This makes the sausage dry and the soup greasy. Place the slices or the whole sausage in the pan for the last ten minutes over low heat, so it only warms through. Do the same when reheating the soup a day later.
Can you freeze pea soup?
Yes, but do so without the smoked sausage, as it becomes mushy after freezing and thawing. Freeze the soup in portions and thaw it in the refrigerator. It is often too thick when reheated, so keep hot water on hand and stir along the bottom.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make pea soup?
Gently cook 100 grams of split peas per person with plenty of water and a pig's trotter or pork belly for an hour and a half to two hours, until the peas fall apart. Then add diced carrot, celeriac, leek and potato and cook for another half hour. Stir in a generous bunch of leaf celery and add the smoked sausage only for the last ten minutes.
How long should pea soup cook?
An hour and a half to two hours for the peas and meat, then about another half hour for the vegetables. Keep the heat low, because the soup should simmer gently, not boil vigorously. Stir along the bottom occasionally, as peas tend to stick there.
Is pea soup really better the next day?
Thicker, in any case, and that's what most people mean by better. The starch from the peas continues absorbing moisture as it cools, and the flavors develop further. Make it a day in advance and reheat it slowly; add hot water if it has become too thick.
Which glass do you use for pea soup?
A thick-walled glass or a mug with a handle, as it retains the heat and keeps you from burning your fingers. For a winter drink, a size of around thirty centiliters is ideal, filled to three fingers below the rim. Make sure the soup is still pourable, because soup that leaves the spoon standing upright won't work in a mug.
Also delicious
Everything for your bar,
to one address
Hospitality-quality glasses, delivered per set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop glasses →