French Split Pea Soup (Potage Saint-Germain)
Click the stars to rate!
French Split Pea Soup, also known as Potage Saint-Germain, is a classic French dish that is all too often forgotten. Yet it’s simple to make, healthy and super-comforting for winter!
Ingredients for this French Split Pea Soup
Here are the main ingredients for this split pea soup. You’ll find the exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
- Split peas : A superfood! Rich in protein, fiber and minerals like magnesium, potassium and iron. Ideal for a vegetarian diet.
- Onion, carrot, leek and garlic: The essential aromatic base that adds depth to the soup.
- Vegetable broth: Opt for a good-quality broth, preferably low in salt, for a more balanced taste.
- Bay leaves: For a subtle fragrance that goes perfectly with split peas.
- Heavy Cream: For an irresistibly creamy touch. You can replace it with a plant-based heavy cream for a vegan version.
- Lemon juice (optional): It’s not in the traditional recipe, but I love adding a little to add a note of freshness.
- Crispy bacon and soft-boiled egg: To decorate the soup and make it a main course. See here how I make crispy bacon in the oven!
Preparing this Split Pea Soup
Start by rinsing the split peas under cold water.
To make them easier to digest and speed up cooking, soak them in hot water while you prepare the vegetables. Chop the onion, slice the carrot and leek and finely chop the garlic.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch-oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrot and leek for a few minutes, until slightly melted. Add the garlic and mix well.
Drain the split peas, then add them to the Dutch-oven with the bay leaves. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
Once the water starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes. The split peas should be tender.
Remove the bay leaves, add the heavy cream and blend using an immersion blender or blender.
The result is a smooth, velvety soup! Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and a touch of lemon juice if you want a little more freshness.
Tip: Serve the soup warm with crispy oven bacon – it’s the perfect topping for this split pea soup! ! Add parsley and a soft-boiled egg for even more proteins.
Variants and tips
- Vegetarian version: Replace the bacon with smoked tofu chips or toasted seeds for a crunchy effect.
- Spicy version: Add a pinch of cumin or smoked paprika for an original twist.
- More creaminess: For an even smoother texture, replace the heavy cream with coconut milk.
What to serve split pea soup with?
For a complete and balanced meal, accompany this soup with :
- A green salad with a Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette, or even Grated Carrots with Lemon and Cumin for a touch of freshness,
- A quiche like this one, with mushrooms and spinach – perfect for a complete meal,
- Or a savoury cake with tuna, feta and olives, ideal for a gourmet touch.
More comforting recipes
If you liked this soup, you’ll love these other winter soup and dish recipes!
- Carrot, Ginger and Coconut Soup
- Vegetarian Lentil Stew
- White Bean and Tomato Soup
- Red Lentil Curry with Chard
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, split pea soup freezes very well! Just let it cool completely before placing in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
You can keep it for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container in a cool place. Don’t hesitate to add a little water or stock when reheating, as it thickens over time.
It’s so easy! Simply replace the cream with a plant-based alternative such as coconut milk or soy cream.
Don’t hesitate to leave me a comment, it always makes me very happy!
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok to take a look behind the scenes of my blog :
Recipe Card
French Split Pea Soup (Potage Saint-Germain)
Click on the stars to rate!
Ingredients
- 1 cup split peas 250 g
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 carrot sliced
- 1 leek small, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 1/3 cups vegetable broth 1.5 litre
- ½ cup heavy cream 120 ml
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice optional
- Salt and pepper
- Parsley for decoration
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- Rinse the split peas under cold water and place in hot water while you prepare the vegetables to soften them. Slice the onion, carrot and leek. Mince the garlic.
Cook the vegetables
- In a large Dutch-oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and leek, then sauté for a few minutes. Add the garlic and stir.
- Drain and pour in split peas. Add bay leaves and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, until the split peas are tender.
Blend
- Remove the bay leaves. Add the heavy cream, then blend the soup with an immersion blender or blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice.
Serve
- Serve warm, with crispy bacon, parsley and a soft-boiled egg.
This was delish! My mum made pea soup a lot, but thanks for this updated version – so stylish – I made it exactly as you wrote and it was very tasty. I will for sure make it like this in future.
Thank you very much Ingrid!
The soup was delicious and really flavourful! Unfortunately mine came out quite watery, even though I followed the recipe. I will definitely make it again and try to reach a thicker consistency, maybe by using less stock or not presoaking the peas?
Will gladly revisit this review after some troubleshooting 😊
Thank you so much for your feedback — I’m so happy you enjoyed the flavor! If your soup turned out watery, it might help to reduce the amount of stock next time or simmer it a bit longer to let it thicken. Also, just to check: did you use dried split peas? Whole peas or fresh peas won’t break down the same way and can lead to a thinner soup. 🤗
I just made your lovely soup again and it was even more delicious than last time! Both times I used the green split peas (had to go to four different supermarkets to get them, but they were so wirth the effort!).
This time I only used less stock and did not presoak the peas (the package also said that it wasn’t necessary). It tourned out so wonderfully creamy. Even my little daughter, who is a really picky eater most of the time, enjoyed it very much and finished her plate.
I’m so happy you made it twice already! And, so cool you daughter likes it too 🙂
I made this today and I agree that it is excellent/delicious. I followed the recipe ‘to a T’ was the only difference being that we served it with Greek yoghurt instead of cream and of course parsley. I will definitely make it again.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own — adding Greek yogurt sounds wonderful. I’ll have to try that next time!
This was delicious, ill make it again 😋
very happy to hear that, thank you Andrea !☺️