Split Pea Soup, but peas aren't dissolving

Question

I'm making split pea soup (vegetarian, using the Moosewood Cookbook recipe). I've made this several times before, and I remember that at some point the peas dissolve, making a thick broth. I made sure to soak the peas overnight before cooking them. But the soup has been simmering for over an hour now (very low flame, partially covered, other veggies in the soup for the later 40 minutes) and they don't seem close to dissolving.

Did I do something wrong? How can I fix the soup? And how can I avoid this in the future?

Asked by Ziv

Answer

I make split pea soup (with a hambone) pretty regularly. I don't soak the peas. It takes more like 3 or 4 hours for the peas to dissolve. It's not a gradual process either - for ages and ages there are little peas floating in broth, and you can eat one and it's soft, but they don't lose their shape, and then the next time you stop by the stove, it's a uniform puree without having done anything. Just keep simmering, is my advice.

Answered by Kate Gregory

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