Dutch Food: Split Pea Soup (Erwtensoep, Snert)

The basic ingredients in vegan erwtensoep: split peas, leeks, carrots, and celeriac

In my quest to discover the joys of Dutch cuisine since moving to the Netherlands 4 months ago,  I've attempted to "veganize" several traditional Dutch soups (for example, see my previous post about bruine bonensoep).

One of my favorite soups - split pea -  is known as "erwtensoep" or "snert" here in the Netherlands, and is considered a typical Dutch food.  Traditional recipes for erwtensoep call for Dutch rookworst (a type of sausage) and/or bacon (see, for example, this Albert Heijn recipe).  As sausage and bacon are definitely not vegan, I've made my soup with tamari-marinated seitan (wheat gluten) that is sauteed with veggies, olive oil, and cumin, in order to add some of the flavor, texture, and fat that would be provided by the meat.  You can leave out the seitan if you are uncertain about it, but I think you'll miss out on the texture.

Tamari-marinated seitan for erwtensoep

After making erwtensoep a few times, it's become my go-to meal when I need a warm, hearty lunch or dinner. This very thick soup is an excellent winter dish, and it will hold up pretty well in the fridge for a couple of days.  

Here's my recipe:

Vegan Erwtensoep
(makes 8 servings)
Ingredients:
500 grams (about 2 cups) dried green split peas, rinsed
3 pints (about 6 cups) water
1 vegetarian bouillon cube
400 grams (about 2 cups) seitan, diced (you can find this in a shelf-stable jar, as seen above, or in the refrigerated section near the tofu at most health food stores)
45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil
1 small celery root (a.k.a. celeriac), peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium leek, sliced
5 ml (1 teaspoon) thyme
5 ml (1 teaspoon) cumin
2 bay leaves
1 small bunch (about 3 tablespoons) fresh celery leaves, chopped
1 small bunch (about 3 tablespoons) parsley leaves, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a large soup pot, sauté the seitan, carrot, leek, celery root, and cumin in the olive oil over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes. 
Add the water, split peas, vegetarian bouillon, thyme, and bay leaves.  Mix well.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 75 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After about 75 minutes, the split peas, celery root, and carrot should be very mushy. If the split peas and veggies are still firm, continue simmering until soft.
When the split peas and veggies have softened, use a large wooden spoon or potato masher to carefully mash them together, breaking apart the split peas and veggies that have retained their shape.  Mix in the chopped celery leaves and parsley, and allow to simmer for 5-10 more minutes, stirring constantly.
Before serving, remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.

I like to serve my erwtensoep with a thick slice of whole wheat bread spread with a thin layer of mustard, or a simple salad of greens tossed with a light lemon vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Simmering erwtensoep: this vegetarian version includes seitan instead of sausage