🇳🇱 Dutch Cuisine

Erwtensoep

Dutch Split Pea Soup

Prep Time 2.5 hours

Servings 8

Difficulty Easy

Calories 358 kcal

A thick, hearty split pea soup so dense a spoon stands upright in it, loaded with vegetables and smoked beef sausage — the quintessential Dutch winter warmer.

Ingredients

500g green split peas
2L water or stock
1 smoked beef sausage (rookworst)
2 leeks, sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, cubed
1 onion, diced
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Dark rye bread for serving
Mustard for serving

Instructions

1 Rinse split peas and add to a large pot with water. Bring to a boil, skim foam.
2 Add leeks, celery, carrots, potatoes, onion, and bay leaves. Simmer 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
3 Add the smoked beef sausage whole and cook 30 min more until peas have completely broken down.
4 Remove sausage, slice into rounds, return to pot. Season generously.
5 The soup should be thick enough for a spoon to stand in it. Serve with dark rye bread and mustard.

Did You Know?

Erwtensoep is traditionally only considered ready when a spoon can stand straight up in the middle without falling over.