Traditional Pea Soup

Traditional Pea Soup

Prep15 min
Cook180 min
Servings8
DifficultyEasy
Sébastien RossBy Menu Cochon|
|Updated: Dec 20, 2025

Split pea soup is a pillar of traditional Quebec cuisine. Inherited from the first French settlers, this nourishing soup has warmed generations of Quebecers during long winters.

This authentic recipe uses salt pork (or pork belly) and savory, the emblematic herb of our cuisine. The secret? A long simmer that melts the peas into a creamy purée.

Preparation

Instructions

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  1. Soak the peas

    Soak peas for 4 hours or overnight, covered with water. Drain and discard soaking water.

  2. Desalt the pork

    Soak pork belly in cold water for 15 minutes to remove some salt. Drain.

  3. Sauté the vegetables

    In a large pot, brown onions in butter. Add carrots and celery, cook 5 minutes.

  4. Simmer

    Add water, peas, pork, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 2.5 to 3 hours.

  5. Prepare the pork

    Remove pork from pot. Remove fat, dice the meat, and return to soup.

  6. Season

    Add savory. Adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot.

To Conclude

Serve this steaming soup with toasted and buttered homemade bread. Leftovers are even better reheated the next day!

Frequently Asked Questions

5 questions about this recipe

Soaking softens the peas and reduces cooking time. It also helps make them more digestible.

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