If the deliciously comforting smell wafting from the bubbly cooking pot doesn’t already lure you, the hearty, homey taste of your finished dish absolutely will. Likely, you’re familiar with the joy of split pea soup, but the pleasure of this clean creation is something you don’t want to miss. Humble ingredients like onion, carrots, potato, peas, and water, combine with two powerhouses of flavor: rich coconut oil, which adds a depth to the vegetables, and yellow miso paste, which offers a salty, umami undertone. At the last minute, a bounty of fresh kale is added, which immediately becomes tender in the hot soup, and is a wonderful toothsome compliment to the sea of melt-away peas.
Note: With a little help from an immersion blender at the end of cooking, this soup can be served either chunky or smooth, or anywhere in between. I usually like to puree about half of the soup to create an extra creamy base while retaining a bit of texture.
Serves 6
3 tablespoons miso paste
8 cups water, divided (or more as needed)
2 tablespoons Dr. Bronner’s Organic Coconut Oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound yukon gold potatoes, diced
1½ cups dry split peas
3 large kale leaves, stems removed, leaves chopped
Sea salt and ground black pepper
In a small bowl, mix together the miso paste with ½ cup of water until dissolved. Set aside.
In a large heavy bottomed pot, warm the Dr. Bronner’s Coconut Oil over medium heat.
Add the onions and carrots, and cook until well softened, about 9-10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a minute longer.
Mix in the potatoes and split peas, then add the miso mixture and the remaining 7½ cups of water. Stir to combine, and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 60-70 minutes, or until the peas are very soft and partially dissolved, adding a little more water during cooking if needed.
Add the kale, along with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste), and cook for one minute longer, or until kale turns bright green. Remove from heat. If desired, use an immersion blender to partially or fully puree the soup.
Adjust seasonings and water if needed, and serve warm.
Covered and refrigerated, Split Pea & Kale Soup will last for up to 5 days.