Smoky Yellow Split Pea Soup

To make the Smoky Yellow Split Pea Soup: In a large pot, combine the onion, carrot, sweet potato, and celery. Add the turmeric, smoked paprika, red chili flake, and thyme. Cover and sweat vegetables over medium heat, 7-10 minutes, until onions are translucent and spices are aromatic. Stir often to prevent browning.
Rinse the split peas under running water until there is no foam.  Add the split peas to the pot.  Add the garlic, bay leaf, and water.
Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.
Simmer until the split peas until completely tender, anywhere from 30-45 minutes, depending on how old the peas are.

To puree the soup: Remove the bay leaf.  Use an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a standing blender. Puree until creamy.  Season liberally with salt and pepper. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Serve immediately.
Top with Creamy Dill Avocado dip for a cool finish.

Chef Katie’s Tips:

Is Rinsing Necessary? Rinsing the split peas helps remove grit and make the peas more digestible. You can soak the peas 4-12 hours to make them even easier to digest.

Turmeric Trick: Turmeric adds more bright, yellow color to this soup.  It doesn’t do much to the flavor, but chefs use it as a natural food color.

Slow Cooker: This soup is a cinch to make in your Slow Cooker.  Simply throw everything in and set on low for 6-8 hours.  Then, puree before serving.

Budget-Friendly: Split Peas are one of the most budget-friendly foods out there, so make a big batch of this when they’re on sale.

Make it a Stew: For a little texture in your soup, add some chopped or frozen vegetables. Green peas, diced zucchini, and baby spinach can all be added during the last minutes of cooking for chunky texture.