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Ärtsoppa
Swedish yellow pea soup with thyme and marjoram, a vegan Thursday supper
For centuries Swedes have eaten ärtsoppa on Thursday: school canteens, army messes and home kitchens all serve thick yellow pea soup, followed by thin pancakes with jam (ärtsoppa och pannkakor). The tradition is said to date from Catholic times, a filling meal before Friday's fast. The soup is usually cooked with salt pork, but the soul of it is the dried yellow peas, onion and a generous hand of thyme and marjoram, so this version is fully plant-based and seasons the broth with a little smoked paprika instead. Each bowl gets a spoonful of sharp Swedish mustard stirred in at the table. Chef's tip: soak whole yellow peas overnight and skim the foam as they come to the boil; the skins that float up can then be lifted off, giving a smoother soup.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 1 ⅛ lb dried yellow peas (split peas need only a rinse). Put them in a large pot with 8 ¼ cups water and bring to the boil over a high heat.
10 minStep 2: As grey foam and loose pea skins rise, skim them off with a slotted spoon. Keep skimming for 5 minutes until the surface is mostly clear; skipping this step is the common mistake that leaves the soup gritty and bitter.
5 minStep 3: Add 2 onions, 1 carrot, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme and half of 1 tsp dried marjoram. Turn the heat down to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer gently.
Step 4: Cook for 1–1½ hours, stirring now and then and scraping the bottom, until the peas have collapsed and the soup is thick and creamy. Whole peas take longer than split. Add a splash of hot water if it catches or gets stodgy.
80 minStep 5: Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the rest of 1 tsp dried marjoram, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and simmer for 5 more minutes; the herbs should smell sweet and floral. Leave it chunky the Swedish way, or mash a little with a potato masher.
5 minStep 6: Serve hot in deep bowls with a teaspoon of 6 tsp Swedish mustard on each for stirring in. The soup thickens a lot overnight; loosen it with water when reheating.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 20 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ärtsoppa take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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