Golden Green Split Pea Soup

This is one of those comforting soups that helps you relax. It's not trying to impress—it just tastes good and wholesome, and that's enough. The combination of green and yellow split peas gives it a golden-green glow, and the vegetables provide welcome chunkiness and variety.

Makes 9 cups (6 servings) 

(See Instant Pot instructions below.) In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, water-sauté the following ingredients until the onion is soft and transparent, 5-8 minutes. (Start with 1/4 cup water and add more if you need it.)

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped

• 1 medium carrot, chopped

• 1 celery rib, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Add the following ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas are very soft, about 1 hour.

• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (1/2” dice)

• 1 cup dried green split peas

• 1 cup dried yellow split peas

• 7 cups vegetable broth

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Optional: up to 1 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

The soup will thicken as it sits after cooking. Stir in additional water as needed and remove the bay leaf before serving.

For Instant Pot, use 6 cups of vegetable broth instead of 7. Put all ingredients except salt into the Instant Pot. Put the lid on and set the valve to “sealing.” Set the Instant Pot to “Manual,” “Pressure Cook,” or “High” and the time to 15 minutes. Start the pressure cooker. Let the soup release slowly, anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. Open the lid, remove the bay leaf, and add the optional salt.

The soup lasts for about a week in the refrigerator and freezes well.