It was bound to happen eventually. After three years of sailing through flu season with nary a sniffle, I got slammed with a really nasty cold a couple of weeks ago.
And not just any cold, either. I'm talking one of those Seven Dwarves kind of cold, which comes complete with Sneezy, Coughy, Sniffly, Wheezy, Sleepy, Dopey and Snot.
Needless to say, being able to stand upright for more than a couple of hours at a time has been my biggest achievement this past two weeks.
Managing to do other stuff, like cooking, blogging, doing the dishes or maintaining an intelligent conversation? Yeah, not so much.
It's a good thing I had squirreled away a couple of containers of this French Canadian Pea Soup in my freezer, after one of my occasional stocking-up-for-a-rainy-day cooking binges.
Split Pea Soup: Quebec's Cure for Whatever Ails You
If chicken soup is Jewish penicillin, then this is the Quebecois version.
It's exactly the kind of food I crave when I'm under the weather. It's smoky and hearty, with a subtstantial warmth that coaxes me back to some semblance of humanity when I'd rather huddle under the covers in a miserable ball of snotty self-pity.
Best of all, it's easy to make a really big batch, and the leftovers freeze beautifully. I can always manage a quick defrost-and-reheat sort of meal, no matter how miserable I am.
No matter what it is you might be suffering from, I guarantee that a couple of bowls of this soup are sure to set you right.
The History of Soupe aux Pois
This soup is so fundamental to the French-Canadian identity that one of the nicknames for Quebeckers is "pea soupers".
It's the perfect dish for long Canadian winters - dried peas, salt pork, root vegetables and dried herbs could all be stored for long periods of time, making it possible to cook up a big pot of soup even in the darkest, coldest days of the year.
Nowadays, most Canadians prepare their pea soup by cracking open a can of Habitant soup. I'll admit that you can't beat the yellow can for speed and convenience, but it's still worth the effort to make your own.
All you need to do is sautee some onions, then stir in the rest of the ingredients and slowly simmer for about three hours until the peas fall apart and the ham has infused the soup with a rich, smoky flavour.
Some folks insist that whole dried peas must be used if you want to make the real deal. However, many recipes (including the one that was passed down in my family) opt for split peas instead, because they cook up faster.
That said, whether you're using whole or split, you must use yellow peas!
Ham Hock vs. Leftover Ham Bone
There's really no wrong answer here.
I've written this recipe to use a store-bought ham hock, since that's what I use when I don't have a leftover ham bone kicking around. You can find ham hocks in the meat counter of some grocery stores, or at a well-stocked butcher shop.
That said, I can vouch for the fact that a good-sized meaty ham bone left over from Easter dinner will do just as well (as would the scraps from a smoked pulled pork shoulder, for that matter).
And if you're not a fan of pork for whatever reason, a smoked turkey thigh or drumstick is also a great (albeit untraditional) choice.
Whatever you do, don't leave it out altogether - that meaty bone is essential to giving the soup a deep, rich, smoky flavour that belies its relatively short list of ingredients.
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Note: This post was updated with new text and photographs in February 2020, but I've saved one of the original photos below for the sake of posterity.
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Traditional French-Canadian Split Pea Soup
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This is my family's recipe for old-fashioned French-Canadian split pea soup (or soupe aux pois, as it's known in Quebec). Made with split peas, smoked pork, vegetables and herbs, it simmers on the stovetop all afternoon long to keep your house (and your belly) warm on cold winter days.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 10 cups water
- 1 lb dried yellow split peas
- 1 smoked ham hock (~ 1 lb)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried savoury
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a very large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-high heat, sweat the onions and carrots in butter for 5-7 minute, or until onions are soft and translucent.
- Stir in water, split peas, ham hock, bay leaves, thyme and savoury. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until the peas are soft and begin to fall apart into a puree.
- Remove the ham hock. Pull the meat away from the bone, and shred or chop into small dice. Set ham aside, and discard the bone. Remove bay leaves and discard these as well.
- Taste soup, and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. For a very smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree completely, or leave as-is for a chunkier texture. Stir chopped ham back into the soup, and serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe can also be made using a leftover ham bone instead of the ham hock, should you happen to have one kicking around after your Easter or Christmas dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: French-Canadian
Stacia says
Very tasty! I had to sub half basil and oregano for the savory unfortunately. Prep time was spot on for me, chop onion while pan heats, then chop carrot and add. I was generous with the water but had to reduce a bit at the end. Next time I will add a bit more split peas. Tasty indeed!!
★★★★★
Cathy says
I am a Canadian living in California for 20 years. I grew up eating pea soup and I loved all meat that came from the bone. I’m only finally realizing that here in the US I have been using smoked pork hocks not smoked ham hocks. So know I realize why I have no meat. It’s a different part of the foot/ ankle. I must do a better job of searching for ham hocks from the butcher. Recipe is great!
★★★★★
Rachel says
Hi Isabelle - I never leave reviews or comment on blogs but I had to rate this recipe 5 stars! My family moved to the states from Canada when I was a child. I have the best memories of me and my Dad eating Habitant Pea Soup with croutons on top. It's the ultimate comfort food! Living in California, Habitant Pea Soup is nowhere to be found and our only option is to buy it online (for a really high price). I made your recipe for my parents last night and it was absolutely incredible. My Dad had 3 servings - he was in heaven. Thank you!
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
I'm so glad that you and your dad enjoyed this, Rachel! It's funny how Habitant never made it south of the border... I've been known to stash a couple cans into my luggage whenever I go to visit friends in the US. ;)
Eric M Collins. says
I grew up on Plum Isand,Newburyport Ma.We always green pea soup and still use both whole and split peas.After a New England shocked shoulder boiled dinner using the stock provided by the dinner.I do love this recipe like any good pea soup it takes time wich is fine by me just smelling it cook warms you.
★★★★★
Jean says
There are many family variations in making French Canadian pea soup but it would be sacrilegious to make it with anything other then whole yellow peas.
Isabelle Boucher says
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, Jean... my very French-Canadian grandmother always used split peas, probably because they cook up a bit faster than whole peas, so that's what I use.
You are absolutely welcome to prepare this recipe using whole peas, if that's more your thing, but make sure to adjust the cooking time as they will take longer to cook down.
Roy-Michel Bolduc says
When I was young, it was acceptable to buy Habitant Pea Soup. IT WAS A DELICIOUS SUBSTITUTE FOR HOME MADE AND WAS A NICE SUMMER SOUP PIPING HOT WITH A LARGE SLICE OF BEEFSTEAK TOMATO CUT FLOATING ON TOP. It was always a go to soup whenever the mood struck.
As I grew older and moved from my Quebecois Roots I suddenly got the urge to find the Habitant Pea Soup I remembered. I went on the Internet and found Habitant Pea Soup was still made and I ordered a 12 can carton of soup only to find Habitant is now owned by Campbell and there is nothing left of the old soup. I am happy to find this recipe. Can't wait to try it.
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
I can totally relate, Roy-Michel. I practically lived off Habitant soup when I was a perpetually broke university student, and it's definitely not nearly as good now as it used to be. The good news is that the homemade version is super-easy to make, and it freezes beautifully. Hopefully you find it satisfies your craving!
Judith says
What is savoury spice?
★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Savoury (or summer savory, as it's sometimes labeled) is an herb that's used in a lot of traditional French Canadian dishes.
I've usually been able to find dried savoury at the supermarket with the rest of the herbs and spices, but if it's not readily available where you live, you can substitute with dried thyme or marjoram - the flavour isn't quite the same, but it's close enough!
Raquel says
Still my go to French Canadian split pea soup...sometimes I use yellow dahl for faster cooking. So yummy!
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Thanks for the tip on using yellow dahl, Raquel. That's a genius shortcut!
Sylvie says
This takes way longer than 3 hours. It has 3 hours of just simmering. And the time it takes to dice up a whole onion and a carrot is more than 5 minutes. If you’re going to make this soup, make sure you have 4+ hours ready.
★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Thanks for the feedback, Sylvie. Prep time can vary quite a bit from one cook to the next - I can chop an entire onion in well under 5 minutes, but my husband can easily take 10+ minutes to do the same thing, so it's really hard to find an estimate that's going to be the same for everyone.
I definitely wouldn't call this a 4+ hour soup, though... especially since I often find that the soup is ready after 2.5 hours of simmering unless I'm using older (and therefore tougher) split peas.
Jean says
Sorry to hear you were sick but I'm glad you're feeling better!
I'm loving the color of this soup--much more appealing than the green split peas I always use. I can almost taste this, warm and comforting, for sure!
Jackie says
Man, I could go for a bowl of this right about now! Lunchtime hunger pangs are settling in and I'm ready for something hearty and warming.
Hope you're feeling better now, lovely!
Jax x
TheGourmetCoffeeGuy says
Very good post. Agree with you that soup is healthy and makes you feel good when you are sick. Soups made with ingredients as your recipe includes or similar are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties that soothe sore throats and ease the misery of colds/flu. Thank you for sharing such good recipe.
Lo says
I must say, I think that a good split pea soup is the cure for many ills. Have been craving a nice hot pot of this for at least a week...
Stephen Dilley says
This sounds great, can't wait to try it!
callyn says
Yeah! I just found your blog via a recipe for blueberry/hyssop ice-cream and am I delighted.
We are like-minded in the food dept.
I live in the West, Vancouver so a fellow Canadian. Don't get out to Toronto as much but I love it there.
Hope you are feeling better and I look forward to more great recipes & food thoughts.
kita says
Ive never had split pea soup but I am a sucker for pretty much all hearty soups. It always justs hits the spot. It looks lovely and sounds delicious.
Pretend Chef says
You must have known that I had a craving for split pea soup while I was sick a week ago. Even though I am already back to tip top shape I am happy to have this recipe to make a big batch and freeze. Yummy! Hope you get to feeling on top of your game soon. Take it easy and get plenty of rest!
bellini valli says
Even as a kid this was one of my favourites. I am with you in fighting off colds for over 3 years and this year it hit me too.I remember spending the entire weekend in bed and had nothing but water.
kathleen says
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Lynn @ I'll Have What She's Having says
Sounds like a really nasty cold, glad you're feeling better!
I had some pea soup yesterday at a cabane a sucre, I love that stuff. It really does sooth the soul. I'm bookmarking your recipe :)
Lawyer Loves Lunch says
Yay, glad you're feeling better. I'm convinced it was the soup that "fixed" you :)
All Things Yummy says
That sounds delicious and perfect for a cold stormy day. So sorry to read you were sick. Glad you're feeling better.