Split pea soup (snert)

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Snert (pea soup) is one of the most famous dishes in Dutch cuisine. This wholesome soup is easy to make and packed with fresh vegetables.

Honestly, I was a little nervous when I started making pea soup. I'd never done this before, and in fact, until a couple of years ago, I really didn't like it. But my mother-in-law told me that making snert couldn't really go wrong, so armed with her recipe, I finally conquered the pea soup.

Split pea soup is also the perfect way to use up any vegetables you have left. Try adding potato or parsnip. There's no need to puree this soup. The split peas absorb a lot of liquid during cooking and naturally fall apart. This way, you get a delicious belly-warming soup with small pieces of meat and vegetables.

Ingredients

Split peas - the most important ingredient for snert, of course, are the split peas. It is not necessary to pre-soak them, but it is important to rinse them well. This is because there may still be some small stones or dust between the peas, and, of course, you don't want them in the soup.

Potatoes - I always add a few potatoes because potatoes make the soup a little thicker, and they make the soup a little creamy. Therefore, use floury potatoes that break up well while cooking.

My tips for the best snert

Use a pressure cooker. By cooking the soup in a pressure cooker, you reduce the cooking time and put this delicious winter soup on the table in no time. By the way, this is not only nice and easy but also a lot cheaper!

Another tip I really want to give you is to put the peas in the pan last. That way, all the ingredients are completely submerged and cooked evenly.

Therefore, always choose a pan that is big enough! You won't be the first to find out while cooking that the pan is actually too small. I prefer to use a pan that is too large. For this snert, I use a 6-liter soup pan.

Be patient! Allow the peas to break down into a thick soup, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.

Frequently asked questions

What is so special about snert?

It's the perfect winter comfort food! O! And after a day, the soup is so thick that it could hold a spoon upright on its own, which is pretty impressive, isn't it? ;-)

What is Dutch snert?

Snert is a Dutch pea soup traditionally eaten on New Year's Day (don't worry, you can eat it all winter long). Did you know that this soup is really only called 'snert' when you have left the soup overnight?

Storage

You can keep this soup in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. Just be sure to cool it quickly to prevent the soup from spoiling.

You can also freeze snert. Divide it into portions and put the soup in freezer bags or containers. Fresh snert will keep for about three months in the freezer.You can reheat the soup by thawing it immediately in the pan or put the soup in a soup bowl and put it in the microwave for a while.

Some of my other soup recipes you will love!