Swedish yellow pea soup, known as Ärtsoppa, is a deliciously rich soup that is surprisingly easy to make. Yellow split peas, smoked ham hocks, and a savory broth make this soup hearty and filling.
This yellow split pea soup is so cozy and comforting you will want to make it over and over. Serve it with some homemade focaccia bread or some naan.
When our children were still preteens through toddler ages I signed up for a cookbook membership from the Time-Life series of Foods Of The World.
Every other month we would receive a new book with stories and recipes from a different country. One of the meals that they loved was this Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup recipe from the Scandinavian book.
Ärtsoppa
The Swedish name for this dish, Ärtsoppa, literally means “pea soup.” It’s traditionally served on Thursdays alongside thin pancakes with jam. It is also traditional to serve this Scandinavian split pea soup with a dollop of brown mustard.
Yellow split pea soup is so cozy and comforting you will want to make it all year round, not just on Swedish Thursdays.
If you are wondering, “why Thursday’s”? Well, it is a tradition, and traditions die hard. If you are interested, scroll down to read how it all started.
Recipes for this dish vary by region, but it typically includes yellow split peas and smoked ham hock to give it its distinctive flavor.
Here is Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking the soup with the smoked ham hock will add a ton of flavor.
- Cloves add a warming spice that complements the ham and peas.
- Simmering the soup for a couple of hours lets the rich flavors infuse and thicken the broth.
If you love pea soup, try our split pea and ham soup or our asparagus pea soup (both made with green split peas). We also have a fresh green pea soup with mint and a French version called St. Germain pea soup.
The Ingredients
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this Swedish yellow split pea soup. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Dried yellow split peas. You can substitute with green split peas if you can’t find the yellow ones.
- Chicken stock. If you feel inspired, make homemade chicken stock.
- Yellow onions.
- Whole cloves.
- Smoked ham hock.
- Thyme, fresh or dried.
- Fresh ginger.
- Salt and pepper.
How to Make It
Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Add the yellow peas, broth, herbs, chopped onions, and ham hock to a large pot.
- Poke several whole cloves into an onion and toss the studded onion in the pot.
- Give the soup a long slow simmer, so the ham hock has time to infuse a smoky flavor into the broth.
- Scoop out the studded onion and toss it in the compost.
- Simmer the soup until it reduces to your desired thickness.
Tips for Success
- Sort through the yellow peas to ensure there aren’t any small pebbles.
- Ham hocks have a lot of rich smoky flavor, but they don’t have a lot of meat. If you want more ham in your yellow pea soup, purchase a couple of extra ham hocks or chop up some leftover ham to add to the soup.
- Fresh ginger root will last for months in the freezer. I use a microplane grater to grate the ginger, and it works like a charm. Plus, frozen ginger is easier to grate than fresh ginger.
- If you don’t want to stud an onion with the cloves, you can toss the cloves in a reusable spice or tea infuser.
More Soup Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s been a practice in the Catholic church since the 5th century to prepare for a fast on Friday. Christians would set Fridays aside as a day of abstinence in memory of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. They would eat a hearty and nutritious supper to prepare for the fast.
Since yellow peas were considered a delicacy at the time, a hearty bowl of yellow pea soup was considered a decadent treat. Also, since peas have a lot of fiber, they keep you feeling full and satisfied.
This Swedish split pea soup helped give them a feeling of sustenance before the Friday fast.
Split peas can cause gas but not to the same extent of other legumes like pinto beans and black beans. If you find the peas give you some digestive issues, you can try using Beano.
Since split peas cook very quickly, you do not need to soak them first. However, some people soak them because it can help make them easier to digest.
Studding the onion with whole cloves infuses the soup with the clove spice while making it easy to remove the cloves when you finish cooking. Just pull out the onion, and the cloves will still be attached.
Helpful Tools
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A soup pot or Dutch oven (this Dutch oven comes with a handy grill lid).
Check out our soup cookbook. It is filled with wholesome and hearty soups. Each soup recipe is from scratch with real ingredients and filling enough to be enjoyed as a main-course meal.
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This lentil soup with sausage is thick and hearty. The lentils cook quickly so you can have this meal on the table in a flash.
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Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried yellow split peas
- 8 cups chicken stock fresh if possible
- 2 yellow onions chopped coarsely
- 1 whole onion studded with 10 whole cloves
- 1 meaty smoked ham hock about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse and pick through the peas. Watch for any small pea-sized rocks that might be there. I know you don’t want to visit the dentist for a chipped tooth.
- Fill a large pot with the chicken stock, add the peas, the chopped onion, the ham hock, and the onion studded with cloves, thyme, and grated ginger.
- Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 90 minutes (uncovered).
- Remove the studded onion and discard it. Remove the ham hock and transfer it on a cutting board. When the ham hock gets cool enough to handle, remove and discard the fat, bone, and tough gristle. Chop the lean ham and return it to the soup pot. You will probably have about one cup of ham.
- Continue to simmer the soup for an additional 30 minutes stirring it often. It will thicken up and if you prefer a thinner soup you can add additional chicken stock.
- Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with a nice crusty whole-grain bread and a dollop of brown mustard. Enjoy!
Nutrition
This post was originally published on 10/17/1013. We updated the photos and added some helpful tips. We left a couple of the original photos below.
angiesrecipes
Wednesday 5th of January 2022
This makes a good meal for cold days!
Dahn Boquist
Wednesday 5th of January 2022
Yes it does ;)