Homemade pea soup with veal broth
12 servings
120 minutes
Pea soup made with veal broth is a classic of Russian cuisine, combining nutrition and rich flavor. The history of this dish dates back to ancient times when peas were a staple food. Its thick consistency and smoky aroma make it particularly hearty, while the addition of ketchup adds a slight spiciness. The beef broth fills the soup with depth of flavor, and the combination of boiled and pureed peas creates a velvety texture. Served with croutons and fresh herbs, it becomes an ideal warming dish for cold days. This soup is not only nutritious but also convenient to prepare as it can be made in advance, with the taste improving after steeping. It truly embodies homey comfort in a bowl that delights with warmth and aroma.
1
An hour before the main event, put a pot filled with 2/3 water on the fire, add meat (meat is mainly needed for broth, so if you have meat bones, add the bones; if you have 1 chicken fillet, that works too; I prefer to boil beef or pork ribs, which can be eaten later. If you have a large piece of meat, either cut it or increase the cooking time), add one small peeled onion and one small peeled carrot to the meat. Add 3-4 bay leaves, salt (1 teaspoon of salt per 3 liters), cover with a lid leaving a gap, and forget about the broth.
- Meat: 300 g
- Onion: 3 pieces
- Carrot: 3 pieces
- Salt: to taste
2
Forty-five minutes before the moment X, we prepare the soup base - peas. First, it's critically important to wash the peas thoroughly until the water draining from them is clear; second, unnecessary items float up during washing. After washing, we fill a second pot with water for cooking peas in a 50/50 ratio. We put it on the fire and let it cook.
- Peas: 400 g
3
While our potions are boiling, we clean and chop the vegetables: chop 2 large onions into cubes, slice 2 small carrots into rings 2-3 mm thick, peel and chop the potatoes into cubes of your preferred size, I prefer 3x3 cm (don't forget to put the peeled and chopped potatoes in cold water to prevent them from darkening). Don't forget to stir the peas. Cut the smoked meats (sausages, ribs, and fillet) into pieces as you like (those who prefer larger pieces can cut them big, those who prefer smaller can cut them small). Let's take a break for the remaining half hour while the broth is cooking.
- Onion: 3 pieces
- Carrot: 3 pieces
- Potato: 3 pieces
- Smoked pork ribs: 400 g
- Smoked sausages: 300 g
4
After an hour, the meat is boiling; we remove the foam, take out the onion and carrot, and carefully fish out the bay leaf. We add potatoes, reduce the heat from 9 to 6, cover with a lid — let it cook.
- Potato: 3 pieces
5
Place the pan on the fire, set it to 7 out of 9. If there was water in the pan, wait for it to evaporate and then pour in the oil. If there is no water and the pan is dry, pour in the oil immediately. Wait 1-2 minutes for the oil to heat up, then add the onion (remember to stir the peas, adding water if there is little left).
- Vegetable oil: 40 ml
- Onion: 3 pieces
6
We fry the onion until it turns golden, usually taking 6–7 minutes, though it depends on the pan, frying temperature, and thickness of the onion. When the onion is ready, we add chopped carrot, mix it in, and season with a pinch of salt.
- Carrot: 3 pieces
- Salt: to taste
7
By this time, the peas should be ready for further magic, the hard shell separates from the soft core — you did everything right. We take it off the heat, drain the excess water, and divide it into two parts 30/70% (don’t forget to stir the onion and carrot in the pan). We transfer the larger part (70%) to the blender, add 100–150 grams of broth, and blend until it reaches a porridge-like consistency. Meanwhile, the carrot in the pan with the onion has become soft and smells intoxicating, we take it off the heat and set it aside.
- Peas: 400 g
- Meat: 300 g
8
Magical connection ritual! If you boiled bones, take them out of the broth; if you boiled ribs or other meat, do the same. Meat lovers can cut it into small pieces and return it to the broth, but I prefer pea soup with just smoked meats. Carefully add the blended pea puree to the broth; it usually comes out in one piece resembling a reverse feeding, but that's okay. To solve this problem, I use a potato masher—just a few hits inside the pot and the lump breaks apart, making the water mysteriously cloudy (a few hits means just that; there’s potato in there, don’t turn it into mush). Add any remaining whole boiled peas and mix. Add the sautéed mixture from the pan and stir again. All smoked meats should go into the soup without passing through your mouth, then mix again. Now for the secret ingredient—ketchup. I add regular tomato ketchup (ketchup, not tomato paste; it's surprising how many flavor enhancers are in ketchup and how they affect the soup's taste). Just don't overdo it; the soup shouldn't turn red—usually 2-3 tablespoons is enough, depending on pot size. Stir well.
- Ketchup: 100 g
9
Reduce the heat to 4 out of 9, chop the greens and add them to the soup, cover with a lid, and let it sit on the stove for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and let it steep for another 10 minutes.
- Green: 1 bunch
10
Be sure to stir before serving, as the pea porridge settles at the bottom, which is the tastiest part. Serve with croutons and sweet onions if you like (making croutons at home is easy — cut the bread into squares, drizzle with sunflower or olive oil and salt, then microwave for 3-4 minutes).