This Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe can be on the table in just 30 minutes. Feel free to swap out the bacon for ham, or omit it entirely for a vegetarian meal. #OnlyVidalia #sponsored

Guess what I made last night? If you guessed my Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe, you were right!

Yep. That delicious bowl of Split Pea Soup that’s staring you in the face right now. And let me tell you, it was delicious! It’s one of my favorite recipes and I make it as often as I can. But, for a truly perfect batch, you need to wait until April to make it. Why? Well, that’s because my Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe has a secret ingredient and that’s when it becomes available. Do you know what it is? Care to take a guess?

If you guessed Vidalia onions, you and I should be best friends because that means that you love them too!!!

By now, you’re probably thinking that I’ve lost my noggin, right? You’re probably wondering why I’m waxing on poetically about these bad boys? And by now, you’re asking yourself why on earth do I hoard boxes of them in my pantry? Oh, wait. Did I forget to mention that? It’s true.

Well, rest assured, my friends. I have not lost my mind…yet. I just really dig Vidalia onions and they’re only available for a limited amount of time each year, so I stock up while I can. As someone who loves to cook, I can honestly say that Vidalias are the sweetest, most versatile onion I’ve ever used in cooking and goes undetected by my army of picky little eaters in recipes!

So, if you haven’t tried a Vidalia onion yet, please do. They’re available in your local grocery stores from April 12th to August. If you try one, tag us on social media using #OnlyVidalia, so we can see what you’ve been making! Visit vidaliaonion.org for more information.

Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe

Split Pea Soup Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 bag (1 pound) dried split peas
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large Vidalia sweet onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 7 slices (1.15 pounds) bacon, crispy
• 2 stalks (1/3 cup) celery, with leaves, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 bouillon cube chicken
• 1 box (32 ounces) chicken stock
• 3 teaspoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter

Split Pea Soup Recipe Directions:

Step 1: Pour dried peas into a colander and rinse thoroughly.

Step 2: Add olive oil to a large soup pot, or Dutch oven.  Turn heat on medium-high heat.

Step 3: Chop onion and bacon into tiny pieces, and add to pot. When onions are translucent (about 5 minutes) and bacon is starting to crisp up, add garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 4: Chop carrot and celery, including the celery leaves, and add to pot. Add remaining ingredients, water through parsley.

Step 5: Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer on medium-high heat, covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Step 6: Add butter (it adds a nice gloss to the soup); stir well.

Step 7: Serve hot with crunchy garlic bread and a sprinkling of parmesan on top. (If you like your soup smooth, puree small batches in a blender or use an immersion blender.)

Want more family-friendly dishes like this Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe?

• slow cooker broccoli potato cheese soup
• vegetarian southwestern soup
• slow cooker lentil soup
• slow cooker creamy tortellini soup

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