Split Pea and Spaghetti Soup: A one-pot wonder that's perfect for chilly days

This is a take on the classic Québécois ham and pea soup, but without the ham and with green split peas instead of yellow — plus spaghetti. It’s a nod to Toronto’s beloved United Bakers Dairy Restaurant (open since 1912), where they make a similar soup. A soothing, nourishing vegetarian meal in a bowl, it’s the fuzzy slippers of soups!  

Split Pea and Spaghetti Soup

I prefer to use green split peas for this recipe because they have a brighter, more pronounced pea flavour than the earthy yellow ones. And don’t skip the bay leaves — they lend a nice herbal, lemony note to the soup.

Ingredients

• 1 medium cooking onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 cup dried green split peas, picked over and rinsed
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup dried spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
• ¼ cup fresh dill

Preparation

In a large stock pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the carrots, split peas, vegetable stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper. 

Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pot from the heat, discard the bay leaves and let the soup cool slightly. Purée the soup using an immersion blender or in a regular blender in small batches. I like it smooth, but feel free to leave it chunky if you’d like. 

Return the soup to the heat and stir in the spaghetti. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Remove from the heat and stir in the dill. Serve hot, topped with more fresh dill if you'd like. 

This soup will keep in the fridge for a few days and freezes well. Simply thaw and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Serves 6