Yellow split peas soup - Soupa Louvana
YELLOW SPLIT PEAS SOUP – SOUPA LOUVANA
A CITRUS AND FILLING SOUP
A traditional Cypriot soup using yellow split peas and rice essentially. The lemon juice used gives it a nice taste of acidity and adds to the Vitamin C boost we all need in the winter. You can make this soup with potatoes instead of rice, I just find that using rice is easier as there is one less thing to chop. It is the perfect soup for a meat-free meal also!
Thyme is not typically used but I love the aroma it gives it. It is quite a small amount used in proportion to the overall amount of soup but I wouldn’t ditch it if I was you. The added sides are eaten with the soup to make it even more filling and provide different textures to the meal also.
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 medium brown onions, chopped chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 3 L warm water
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cup yellow split peas, washed and strained
• 1/2 cup long grain rice, washed and strained
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• salt and pepper
Added sides
• parsley finely chopped
• black olives
• rocket
• tomatoes
• radish
• crusty bread
Instructions
1. Heat a large casserole on medium/high heat with olive oil. Fry the onions until softened and then add the thyme until it becomes aromatic.
2. Pour the water, stock, peas and rice into the casserole and bring it to a boil. Let them simmer for 30-35min or until the peas and rice are tender. Remove any foam that forms on the top with a slotted spoon.
3. While the food is cooking you can prepare the added sides by washing and chopping them as desired.
4. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice before using an immersion stick (or a heatproof blender) to blend it all together. You may otherwise leave the soup as is if you prefer the texture.
5. Serve warm with the additions as a side.
Recipe Notes
The soup thickens a lot when chilled but once reheated it thins out again.
I avoid using too much salt as we usually eat it with olives which can be quite salty as well
