Erwtensoep (Dutch split pea soup)
Ingredients
Method
- Put the rinsed split peas, water, spare ribs, bacon and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil and skim.
- Simmer covered over low heat for 1 hour, stirring now and then so the peas don’t stick.
- Remove the meat and bacon. Take the meat off the bones and cut it into small pieces along with the bacon.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery root, leeks and potato. Simmer another 40 minutes, stirring often, until the peas have completely broken down.
- Add the whole smoked sausage to the soup for the last 20 minutes, then slice it.
- Return the meat, bacon and sausage to the pot with the leafy celery. Season with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaves. The soup should be very thick.
- Serve piping hot with rye bread and smoked bacon, or chill overnight and reheat the next day.
Notes
A green, steaming soup so thick the spoon stands up in it: erwtensoep is the great winter comfort food of the Netherlands. This Dutch split pea soup simmers for hours with smoked pork, root vegetables and a smoked sausage, and it is eaten as a full meal. Here is our traditional erwtensoep recipe, with the right cuts of meat, step-by-step cooking, serving on rye bread and tips for reheating.
Snert, the Dutch soup for cold days
In the Netherlands, people usually call it snert. Snert, the Dutch soup par excellence, is a home-style dish made in large batches, often the day before. For a long time it was the meal of farmers and sailors, because dried split peas keep all winter and are very filling. Today it is served in cafés along frozen canals, to skaters coming off the ice, and in families as soon as the first cold days of October arrive.
A Dutch winter specialty
Along with stamppot and hutspot, erwtensoep is the great Dutch winter specialty. When it freezes, the koek en zopie stalls by the ice sell cups of snert. On January 1st, many Dutch people eat it after the New Year’s dive into the North Sea. It is the ultimate Dutch winter soup recipe, just as lohikeitto is the Finns’ comfort soup. For snack time, Dutch cuisine also offers bitterballen. Another great winter dish: stamppot with kale and smoked sausage.
How to make erwtensoep
Here is how to make erwtensoep in three stages. First, cook the split peas in water with the meat and bacon for an hour. Then remove the meat, add the vegetables and simmer until the peas break down completely. Finally, add the smoked sausage and the meat cut into pieces. There is no need to soak the split peas: they cook in 1.5 to 2 hours. The only real work is stirring often, because the soup thickens and can stick to the bottom.
Split pea soup with smoked pork
What gives snert its flavor is the combination of split pea soup with smoked pork. The Dutch use pork spare ribs (krabbetjes), a hock or a piece of pork belly (speklap), and often a piece of smoked bacon. The bones give body to the broth, the rind adds richness and the smokiness flavors the whole soup. For a lighter version, keep only the smoked hock and remove the fat before serving.
Split peas, a filling meal in a bowl
Green split peas are dried peas, peeled and split in half. They are rich in fiber and plant protein and keep you full for a long time: one bowl of erwtensoep makes a complete meal. Choose fresh peas with a nice pale green color. Peas that are too old cook poorly and never fully break down, even after hours on the stove. Simply rinse them in cold water before putting them in the pot.
Smoked sausage for erwtensoep
The smoked sausage for erwtensoep is rookworst: a large horseshoe-shaped smoked pork sausage sold everywhere in the Netherlands. It goes into the soup whole for the last twenty minutes, then it is sliced. Elsewhere, a Polish kielbasa or any good smoked pork sausage works very well. Don’t prick it before cooking, so it keeps its juices.
Celery root and leek in pea soup
The duo of celery root and leek gives this pea soup its character. Celery root brings a slightly anise-like note and lots of body, the leek adds sweetness. Carrots, an onion and sometimes a potato join them. The little Dutch secret is snijselderij, cutting celery: its very fragrant leaves go in at the end. Celery leaves do the same job.
Spices for split pea soup
The spices for split pea soup are simple, because the smoked meat already does a lot. Bay leaf is essential during cooking. Freshly ground black pepper goes in at the end. Some families add a sprig of thyme or a pinch of grated nutmeg, which goes very well with peas. Salt only at the end, since the bacon and sausage are already salty. To go further, see our spice guide.
A very thick split pea soup
A real snert is a very thick split pea soup. In the Netherlands, they say it is a success when the spoon stands up in it. To get there, you need the right ratio: 500 g of split peas for 2 liters of water. You also need long cooking, so the peas break down completely, and a little patience, because the soup thickens further as it cools. Don’t blend it: the texture comes from the melted peas, and you keep pieces of vegetables and meat. If it is too thick, add a little hot water. If it is too thin, let it reduce uncovered.
Rye bread and bacon with pea soup
The traditional way to serve it pairs rye bread and bacon with pea soup. On the table goes roggebrood, a dense dark rye bread, buttered and topped with thin slices of katenspek, a cooked then smoked bacon. You take a spoonful of soup, then a bite of bread. A German rye bread, or Danish rugbrød, works very well, with thinly sliced smoked bacon. Add a little pot of mustard for the sausage.
Erwtensoep in the Thermomix
Making erwtensoep in the Thermomix is possible, but in a half batch, since the soup is thick and bulky. Chop the onion for 5 seconds, add 250 g of split peas, 1 liter of water, 250 g of cut-up hock or ribs and the bay leaf. Cook 60 minutes at 100 °C, stirring speed, reverse. Add the diced vegetables and continue for 30 minutes. Add the sliced sausage for the last 10 minutes. Remember to remove the bones before the end.
Storing and reheating snert
Storing and reheating snert is its whole secret: it is even better the next day, once the flavors have blended. Let it cool, then keep it 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer in portions. It becomes very firm when cold. To reheat, add a little water and warm over low heat, stirring often so it doesn’t stick. Many Dutch families make it the day before on purpose.
Frequently asked questions about erwtensoep
Do split peas need soaking?
No. Split peas don’t need soaking, just rinsing. They break down during cooking.
Can you make vegetarian erwtensoep?
Yes. Replace the meat with vegetable broth, add a pinch of smoked paprika for the smoky taste and use a vegetarian sausage.
Why won’t my soup thicken?
The peas are often old or the cooking time too short. Keep cooking uncovered and stir: the soup will also thicken as it cools.
