Slow Cooker Erwtensoep (Dutch Split Pea Soup)
This Slow Cooker erwtensoep is the Dutch version of split pea soup packed with bacon, ham, sausage and loads of veggies. It is an easy crock pot meal for those cold winter nights when you want some delicious comfort food to warm you up.
What is erwtensoep?
Erwtensoep, or split pea soup, is a popular soup in the Netherlands. You can find it in every grocery store with the canned soups and it is particularly comforting during the cold Dutch winters.
They also sell fresh packages with all the vegetables you need to make it! It’s a super popular dish for these long Dutch winters.
The soup is supposed to be thick enough for a spoon to stand up straight on its own in the bowl. With all of the ingredients in the soup it’s no wonder it can do that! Having some delicious parmesan rolls or warm bread to dip in the soup just makes it that much better.
From our friends here, we learned that they make a version of it in Curaçao as well which they make without the potatoes and serve over rice.
Traditionally you would use a cut of dark pork meat and rookworst. The closest thing to rookworst flavor wise that is available in the US is Polska kielbasa.
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Ingredients
- green split peas
- thick cut bacon
- diced ham
- potato
- celery
- leeks
- carrots
- onion
- celery root
- chicken stock
- water
- Polska kielbasa
Possible substitutions:
You can use yellow split peas if you would like although green is what is traditionally used.
Use a ham bone instead of the diced ham. Carefully remove the bone and cut the meat off the bone. Return the meat to the pot (after blending if you choose to do so).
If you can’t find celery root, you can substitute an equal amount of celery, potato, parsnips, or turnips.
How to make this:
- Add the split peas, bacon, ham, potato, celery, leeks, carrots, onion, celery root, chicken stock, and water to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours.
- Add the kielbasa during the last 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir. Allow the soup to sit for 20 minutes before serving.
Top Tips
This is equally good made as a vegetarian recipe. Swap veggie stock for the chicken stock and leave out the bacon, ham, and kielbasa. Adding a Tablespoon Of liquid smoke will be a nice substitute for the meats.
Top Tips for cooking with kids
For kids who won’t like the chunks in the soup, you can add everything but the ham and kielbasa to the soup. Blend the soup with a hand blender before adding the ham and kielbasa.
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Other recipes you may like:
- 30 Minute Potato Bacon Chowder
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Easy Homemade Tomato Soup
- Instant Pot Chinese Pork Shoulder Soup
- German Style Pumpkin Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup green split peas
- ¾ cup chopped thick cut bacon
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 large potato diced (about ½ pound)
- 1 cup celery about 2 ribs
- 2 cups sliced leeks white parts only, about 1 leek
- 1 cup diced carrots about 2 large
- ¾ cup diced onion about 1 medium
- 1 cup diced celery root
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 pound Polska kielbasa
Instructions
- Add the split peas, bacon, ham, potato, celery, leeks, carrots, onion, celery root, chicken stock, and water to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours.
- Add the kielbasa during the last 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir. Allow the soup to sit for 20 minutes before serving.