I like Split Pea Soup but have never made it before. I was looking through a little soup cookbook I had called Soup Gourmet and found an easy recipe I thought I’d try. I made my version thicker because I like thick and hearty soups. I like this soup because, in addition to peas, it has lots of other good-for-you veggies in it–carrots, onion, and celery. And you can add ham or bacon if you want, or make it without any meat.

After looking at some other recipes, I decided I would try garnishing this with croutons and feta, and I’m so glad I tried that out–I really liked it! The feta cheese gives a nice zing to the soup, and the crispy croutons make a nice touch, too. Serve this soup with a salad and some crusty bread–it makes a great lunch or dinner during the cold winter months!

EASY PEA SOUP WITH HAM OR BACON by NancyC, adapted from Soup Gourmet

Makes 4-6 servings

• 2 (16-ounce) packages frozen peas, thawed (or you can use 2 (16-oz.) cans of peas)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken or vegetable broth (this is a thick soup, so if you’d like it to be thinner, add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup of broth)
• 1 1/2 cups boiled ham or cooked bacon, diced (if you’d like this to be meatless, leave out the ham or bacon)
• 1 cup carrots, finely diced or grated
• 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• additional seasonings to taste, if desired
• croutons for garnish, optional
• crumbled feta cheese for garnish, optional.

Transfer blended mixture to a large pot. Add ham or bacon, carrots, onion, and celery. Bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Halfway through cooking, add salt and pepper, and additional seasonings, if desired.