4 delicious recipes for Christmas pea soups. Get inspired!

When you think of Christmas Eve soup, many of us think of classic options like clam chowder or butternut squash soup.

However, peas have been a popular ingredient in the United States for centuries and can make a fantastic addition to your holiday meal.

With our Christmas pea soup recipes, you can bring it back to your table! It’s hearty and warming, and it provides your body with proteins, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Additionally, this soup can be a shared experience for the whole family.

Peas with ham and toasted bread

A rich soup with a hearty taste. If you don’t want to or can’t prepare your own broth, you can also use the purchased one.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of frozen green peas
• 1 1/2 cup of white sourdough bread torn into small pieces
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks of celery
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 35oz of ham broth
• 1/4 cup of baby spinach
• a few sprigs of mint
• a few sprigs of thyme
• salt, pepper to taste

Ham broth

• 1 ham bone (with leftover meat)
• 1 chicken skeleton (with leftover meat)
• 5 oz of white wine
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper

Method

1. First, you need to prepare the ham broth.
2. Place the bones and other ingredients together with 100oz of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat falls off the bone.
4. Carefully strain the broth.
5. Shred the meat from the bones and keep them, discarding the other solid ingredients.
6. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and thyme in a skillet over medium heat.
7. Add the bread pieces and toast the bread, stirring frequently, until golden.
8. Transfer the toasted bread to a paper towel and set aside.
9. Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the pressed garlic, finely chopped onion, and celery stalks.
10. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until the onion and celery soften.
11. Add the ham stock and bring to a boil.
12. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the stock has reduced to about 33oz.
13. Stir in the peas and cook for 5 minutes until the peas are tender.
14. Season to taste and stir in the mint and spinach.
15. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
16. Return the blended mixture to the saucepan and boil over high heat.
17. Add the ham and chicken pieces, season to taste and mix.

This Christmas pea soup is served with toasted bread and drizzled with olive oil.

Old Bohemian Christmas Eve Peas

Try something new – why not to taste the Old Bohemian Christmas Eve pea soup?

In addition to carrots, you can add a few pairs of yellow or red potatoes to this pea soup; the peas will be even more hearty.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of dried split peas
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups of water
• 1 onion
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 700 g ham with bone
• 2 carrots
• fresh parsley for garnish

Method

1. Take the peas and rinse them thoroughly, or soak them overnight.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot.
3. Add finely chopped onion and celery, and sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for another 1 minute.
5. Add chicken broth and water.
6. Add the halved peas, bay leaves, and thyme.
7. Lightly salt and pepper.
8. Add the bone-in ham to the soup mixture.
9. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low.
10. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas and ham are tender, about 60 to 90 minutes.
11. Remove the ham, rest for 10 minutes, then shred or dice some meat.
12. Meanwhile, add diced carrots to the soup.
13. Cover the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas mostly break down, about 30 minutes.
14. Stir in the ham and season with salt as needed.

Serve this Christmas pea soup warm, garnished with parsley.

Festive pea soup with sautéed onions

Do you like fried onions? Try using it as a non-traditional decoration for this delicious version of yellow pea soup.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup dried yellow halved peas
• 5 and 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups of Black Forest ham, cut into small cubes
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley for garnish

Crispy Onion:

• 1/2 onion
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• oil
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley for garnish

Method

1. Take the peas and rinse them thoroughly with cold water, or you can also soak them overnight.
2. Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan.
3. Add the diced ham, stir, and let it fry for a few minutes.
4. Once the ham is browned, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery and let the mixture sauté for a few minutes until the vegetables soften.
5. Add marjoram, black pepper, a pinch of salt, and crushed garlic.
6. Add the yellow peas, stirring well to incorporate into the ham and vegetable mixture.
7. Pour in the chicken stock and let it come to a boil.
8. Once everything starts to boil, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and cook for about an hour until the peas break down and the Christmas pea soup thickens.
9. While the soup is cooking, prepare the sautéed onions.
10. Put the flour, black pepper, salt, and paprika in a small bowl and mix.
11. Heat the oil in a pan.
12. Place the sliced onion and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
13. Sprinkle the onion slices with the flour mixture and toss well to coat.
14. Once the oil is hot, add the coated onions in batches and fry until golden brown and crispy.
15. Remove the onion from the oil, place it on a paper towel to dry, and sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and chopped parsley while it is still warm.
16. Stir and set aside to use as a garnish in the soup.
17. When all the peas are nicely broken down, turn off the heat and let the soup sit for about 15-20 minutes.
18. Then, stir in the lemon juice and fresh parsley.

Serve this Christmas Pea Soup garnished with crispy fried onions.

Vegetarian Christmas soup with peas and mushrooms

Are you wondering how peas taste without the traditional ham? Try this popular vegetarian version with “mushroom bacon.” Mushroom bacon is quick to make and tastes like the REAL thing.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried green split peas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 and 1/2 cups diced carrots
• 1 and 1/2 cups diced celery stalks
• 1 cup diced potatoes
• 7 cups of vegetable broth
• 3-4 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons of fresh dill
• salt and pepper to taste

Mushroom “Bacon”

• 2 cups of champignons or wild mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Take the peas, rinse them in cold water, or soak them overnight.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan.
3. Add finely chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the pressed garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Then add celery, carrots, and potatoes.
6. Stir, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes.
7. Add the rinsed peas and stock and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for approximately 30 minutes.
9. While the Christmas pea soup is cooking, add olive oil to a pan over medium heat.
10. After heating, add sliced mushrooms, mix, and saute for 5-6 minutes.
11. Mix the soy sauce, smoked paprika, pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
12. Pour the mixture over the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are lightly browned.
13. Turn off the heat and set aside while you finish the rest of the soup.
14. When the peas are almost tender, add the parsley and dill and cook for another 5 minutes.
15. Then, blend four cups of Christmas pea soup with lemon juice and spinach.
16. Pour the blended soup back into the pot and mix well.

In addition to the “mushroom bacon,” you can garnish this soup with a small amount of vegan sour cream, yogurt, or coconut cream and sprinkle with fresh chopped dill.

How to cook the best pea soup?

Traditionally, recipes for Christmas pea soup have been treasured and passed down in families, much like beloved cookie recipes, transcending generations.

However, it’s important to note that there is a crucial difference between traditional pea soup and pea soup.

The former is crafted from dried peas, while the latter is made using fresh or frozen peas. The key ingredient in most Christmas pea soup recipes is dry halved and shelled peas.

The advantage of using dry peas is that they do not require soaking and are easier to boil and blend.

Conversely, whole peas can also be utilized, but they need to be soaked overnight to achieve the desired texture.

When it comes to the vegetable components, carrots, onions, and parsley are essential, while celery stalks are frequently included to enhance the flavor profile.