Pressure cooker or Instant Pot split pea soup with (or without) sausage
In my dinged-up, bright red, cast-iron Dutch oven, I make a pretty mean pot of split pea soup, which just happens to be my very favorite comfort food on days when there's snow to be shoveled. Or when I have the sniffles. Or when I'm craving soup, which really does happen. I've been making split pea soup the same way forever, until this year, when I first tried it in my electric pressure cooker. Oh my oh my. The pressure cooker traps all of the flavor, and softens the split peas so the immersion blender simply has to nudge them into silkiness. Compared to my stove top version, and despite using the exact same ingredients, the pressure cooker version is downright ethereal. Add your favorite mild or spicy sausage, or not; I love this soup either way. It's a great make-ahead-and-freeze soup for your winter soup swaps, or quick worknight dinners with a green salad and crusty bread on the side. And if you don't have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, you can make split pea soup on the stove top or in the slow cooker.
Pressure cooker or Instant Pot split pea soup with (or without) sausage
From the pantry, you'll need: split peas, onion, garlic, chicken stock, kosher salt, fresh black pepper.
Serves 6; can be frozen.
Ingredients
1 lb yellow or green split peas
12 oz sausage, diced (I love Aidells spicy mango and jalapeño chicken sausage. You can use any favorite fully-cooked sausage.)
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium store-bought) + 2 cups water
1/2 Tbsp fresh black pepper, or more to taste
Directions
Note: I use an Instant Pot or 6-quart electric pressure cooker. If you use a different type, you might need to adjust the timing.
Rinse and drain the split peas, and set aside.
Using the browning setting on your pressure cooker, brown the sausage pieces. Remove from the cooker and set aside.
In the oil from the sausages, cook the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, 2-3 minutes.
Add the split peas, chicken stock, and water.
Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes, then Quick Release the pressure.
Turn off the pressure cooker and unplug (or remove from the stove). Use an immersion blender to purée the soup.
Stir in the cooked sausage, and season with black pepper. Add some fresh chopped parsley, if you have it.
Serve hot. Or, let cool to room temperature, pack into airtight containers, and freeze.
More split pea soup variations:
Vegan split pea soup with challah croutons, from The Perfect Pantry
Split pea, sausage, and preserved lemon soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Split pea, bacon, and potato soup, from Budget Bytes
Split pea soup with ham, bay leaves, epazote and red bell pepper, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Yellow split pea soup with sweet potatoes and kale, from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
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Why have I not made split pea soup in the pressure cooker? I am imagining how well it must work, and I love, love, love split pea soup! And the chicken sausage sounds great in this.
Soup in 15 minutes sounds really good. I am still making mush in my pressure cooker when I try to cook beans so this sounds like a great experiment that may get me to love my pressure cooker.
Kalyn, my split pea soup in the pressure cooker is melt-in-your-mouth good!
Mary, it's so easy to make this in the pressure cooker -- and for once, mush is what you're going for!
Since my usual split pea soups, stovetop, don't want to get to mush, I'll gladly make the switch to my dearly loved pressure cooker!
I've always used my slow cooker - it cooks all day and then no need for immersion blender. I'll probably save the pressure cooker for other things.
Susan, I know you'll like this pressure cooker method.
Cheryl, there is something wonderful about using the slow cooker and having the aroma fill the house for the day. But the speed of the pressure cooker, and the texture of the split peas when they're cooked under pressure, just might convince you to give it a try!