101 Cookbooks Split Pea Soup Recipe (with Spinach)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups dried split green peas, picked over and rinsed
1/2 vegetable boullion cube (Rapunzel's Sea Salt and Herbs is especially good)
5 cups water
2 generous handfuls fresh spinach
juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve the zest)

a few pinches of smoked paprika*
more olive oil to drizzle, if desired

*An equal amount of chipotle pepper also works nicely.

Add olive oil to a big pot over med-high heat. Stir in onions and salt and cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two. Add the split peas, boullion and water. Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but still a touch al dente). Using a large cup or mug ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside. Next, throw the spinach into the pot, stirring into the soup 'til just wilted; it will cook a bit more as it sits, so no need to overdo it. Using a hand blender (or regular blender) puree together the spinach and the soup that is still remaining in the pot. Stir the reserved (still chunky) soup back into the puree - you should have a soup that is nicely textured. If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and taste. If the soup needs more salt, add more a bit at a time until the flavor of the soup really pops.

Ladle into bowls or cups, and serve each drizzled with olive oil, if desired, and topped with a good pinch of smoked paprika and a touch of lemon zest.

Serves 4 to 6.

Number of Servings: 5

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user COMMITMENTS.