Swedish Yellow Pea Soup Ärtsoppa Recipe

By
Kari Diehl
Kari Diehl
Food writer who specializes in Scandinavian cuisine and is the author of "The Everything Nordic Cookbook."
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Updated on 07/5/21
Swedish pea soup Swedish pea soup

Nicole Branan / E+ / Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 15 mins
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings

This Swedish dried pea soup recipe, known as Ärtsoppa, is an immensely gratifying, warming soup traditionally made from dried yellow peas and served on Thursdays in Sweden, followed by crepe-like pancakes with whipped cream and preserves (Pannkakkor) for dessert.

Try swirling a teaspoon of grainy brown mustard on top of each serving of soup to enhance both the presentation and the rich combination of flavors.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried yellow or green peas, whole if you can get them, but split ones work just as well

  • 8 cups water

  • 2 onions, finely chopped (2 cups)

  • 1 whole onion, peeled and studded with 2 cloves

  • 1 large carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)

  • 1 meaty ham bone, or 2 to 3 ham hocks

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

  • 1 teaspoon grainy brown mustard

Steps to Make It

  1. Rinse and pick through 1 pound of dried yellow or green peas. If using whole peas, soak the peas overnight in water to cover by about 2 inches.

  2. Fill a large pot with 8 cups of water or 6 cups if you like a thicker soup.

  3. Add the drained peas, 2 finely chopped onions, 1 peeled whole onion studded with 2 whole cloves, 1 large chopped carrot, and a meaty ham bone (or 2 to 3 ham hocks).

  4. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam, then cover pot and reduce to a simmer over low heat for 90 minutes.

  5. If using whole peas, skim off any pea skins that have risen to the surface. Remove 2 to 3 cups of the soup, puree in a blender or food processor, and return puree to the pot.

  6. Continue to simmer for at least 30 more minutes, even another hour or more won’t hurt it.

  7. Thirty minutes before serving, remove the studded onion and the meat. Chop the meat and return to pot.

  8. Season the soup with 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1  teaspoon salt, and 1/8  teaspoon pepper. Simmer 15 more minutes.

  9. Serve, passing around grainy brown mustard to stir into the soup to taste.

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
446 Calories
5g Fat
71g Carbs
31g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 446
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 501mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 71g 26%
Dietary Fiber 25g 90%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 8mg 40%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 1078mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)