Smoked Sausage and Split Pea Soup

This post is sponsored by USA Pulses & Pulse Canada

Did you know that 2016 is the International Year of Pulses? Let’s celebrate!! Pulses are the group of foods known as dry peas, chickpeas, lentils, and beans. They are super cheap (you can stretch lentils and dried beans so far!), sustainable (they have low water and carbon footprints), versatile (soups! burgers! salads!) and of course very good for you (they are packed with protein, fiber and antioxidants). Split peas are my favorite pulse. I just love their earthy taste, and they sure fill me up! If you’re looking to incorporate more pulses into your diet, join me in taking the Pulse Pledge – you’ll receive free pulse-filled recipe ideas, cooking tips and more : )

This soup is made with split peas, smoked andouille, and lots of carrots, celery and kale.

A little Liquid Smoke at the end gives it an extra punch of flavor, but feel free to leave that out if you don’t have any or can’t find it.

MY OTHER RECIPES

Begin by cooking your sausage until it’s nice and brown. (Vegetarians could also leave the sausage out completely and simply sauté the veggies in some cooking oil.)

Frozen garlic is one of my favorite secret ingredients. I use fresh garlic when making something that is either lightly cooked or a sauce, but I use frozen crushed garlic for most of my soups – any recipe where the garlic gets cooked. It’s so easy to pop it out of the cube and sauté away. (You could even DIY this if you wanted!)

Next, add chopped veggies and the garlic. Add onions too if you like them!

When veggies are tender, add split peas, stock, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for a hour, stirring occasionally.

When an hour is nearly up, wash and tear the kale into small pieces and then add to the pot and allow to wilt through.

If you’re using it, add the Liquid Smoke along with salt and pepper to taste. I love this stuff – it’s like a delicious grill or campfirey smell in a bottle!