Andersen's Split Pea Soup Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

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A copycat of the soup served at Pea Soup Andersen's (and you know it has to be good if the restaurant was named after it!). There are only two locations in the U.S. so if you want the real deal you'll have to go to Buellton or Santa Nella, California. In the meantime, you can enjoy it at home with this recipe.

Andersen's Split Pea Soup Recipe | CDKitchen.com (1)


serves/makes:

ready in:

30-60 minutes

14 reviews
1 comment


ingredients

8 cups water
2 cups green split peas
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 dash ground red pepper
1 bay leaf
salt
black pepper

directions

Combine water, split peas, celery, carrot, onion, thyme, red pepper, and bay leaf in a Dutch oven. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring the mixture to a hard boil for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the peas are tender.

Remove from heat and let cool. Press the soup through a fine mesh sieve and discard the solids. Place the strained soup back in the Dutch oven and reheat then serve.


nutrition data

178 calories, 1 grams fat, 32 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams protein per serving. This recipe is low in sodium. This recipe is low in fat.



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reviews & comments

  1. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    August 24, 2016

    Memories of the best man I ever knew, my Dad. Anytime we traveled from Ukiah, California to Southern California. Andersons was our favorite pit stop. Being that it was in the early 70's the original recipe took the blue ribbon every time. This is in memory of you Dad. Towards the end of cooking this soup of the soul my dad would add a half stick of real sweetened butter and a half cup of heavy cream. We used a clove of garlic, 4 Bay leaves, to be removed, smoked paprika, small onion, red and yellow bell pepper(just a 1/4 of a bell each. 1 stalk of celery, pinch of cayenne pepper, teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of seasalt, one carrot either diced or grated.We would take some bacon tips and add herbs to the bacon and cook them for a minute or two on medium to medium high heat. Add this to your favorite chicken stock and simmer for a couple of hours. Use immersion blender till creamy.Thanks for all of life's lessons Dad and as you taught me. Food sucks until you add your love to it. The same holds true with life. May God Bless us all. Love to all those that feel like they were cheated.

  2. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    November 30, 2014

    I like this recipe with smoked paprika sprinkled on top

  3. Sue-Z REVIEW:
    November 1, 2013

    Suggestions: Half chicken broth for the water (or add bouillon cubes). Large onion. Fresh thyme (double amount). Kosher salt instead of table salt. Use immersion blender to partially puree (leave it slightly chunky).

  4. Bleacher Bum REVIEW:
    April 26, 2013

    I love to experiment with the basic recipe. Having lived near Gilroy, CA. for many years I often add garlic.... sometimes a couple of cloves often as many as 20 cloves. I've also added a jalapeno or two, red bell peppers, extra celery...

  5. Amy REVIEW:
    October 1, 2012

    Thank you for posting this recipe. I grew up on Anderson's Split Pea Soup and Love it (I also grew up in SB county). I now live over seas so I would have to have cans shipped to me. But tonight I made it myself for my family. Was a wonderful taste of home

  6. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    March 26, 2012

    I visited Anderson's twice in the late 70' and enjoyed their famous Split Pea Soup, wow! was it ever good. I moved back east and never had a chance to visit Anderson's again. I recently got the idea to go to Google and see if I could find their recipe, I did and I made the soup just like the recipe. I could not remember back that far as to the taste, but this recipe is delicious. Thanks Anderson for posting your recipe. I intend to make this often.

  7. davidrayrob REVIEW:
    November 4, 2010

    I went against my instinct and decided to make this as written with no changes and was suprised at how good this was as is. So basic yet so comforting. The next time I make it i'm going to sub chicken stock for water and either simmer the stock with some smoked ham then shred it or use a hambone. I'm no vegan!

  8. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    September 23, 2010

    This recipe lets you make the famous Andersen's split pea soup to taste almost like the soup they serve in the restaurant. I found that you do need to add a little bit more spices, I didn't measure.. as I added and tasted & repeated until it was the taste I remembered. The soup still came out fantastic. I don't own a sieve but used a spatula to smoosh the peas on the side of the pot & used a whisk to smooth it out.

  9. Guest Foodie June 5, 2010

    Maybe Anderson's adds MSG to make it more schmackhaft, tasty?

  10. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    May 4, 2010

    Question? My soup didn't have the great pea flavor that Andersons has. Maybe it was because it was my first time making split pea soup. Anyone have a helpful hint.My husband has always loved Anderson's Split Pea soup. We really enjoyed this for dinner yesterday. It was easy to put together and cook. For next time I will buy an easier sieve. And that's right I will make this again and again and again.

  11. lastrahm REVIEW:
    October 18, 2009

    I grew up on this split pea soup. It turns out it is around the corner from a veteran's cemetary where my Dad is buried. Which do I use as an excuse to go to the restaurant? Found this recipe in their cookbook which I bought on my last visit. Can't wait to try it.

  12. Dave REVIEW:
    July 11, 2009

    This is a great recipe, but I tend to use a simpler version: 2 cups split peas, 8 cups water, a few cubes of chicken bullion, perhaps some dried onion. Then I do the 20 minute boil + lengthy simmer, after about an hour of simmering I use a potato smasher (plastic, with holes in it) to mash the peas up smooth. This avoids having to use a blender, and you can get the soup very smooth if you care to, but I tend to leave it with some texture so it, it still tastes great and is a great easy high fiber recipe.Goes well with sourdough bread, too.

  13. fussymommy REVIEW:
    May 14, 2009

    While not a vegetarian, this soup is something we crave, but live too far to go to the restaurant.A couple hints; add more spices (four bay leaves, count them so you can take them out before pureeing) more thyme, and I use season salt and more red pepper to make it taste the the restaurant.I also cook it much longer if possible to let it reduce at a low temp. which also makes it taste just like Andersen's.For ease, I bought one of those puree instruments that you put directly in the stock pot (Bed Bath and Beyond) but take the bay leaves out first, trust me.Pureeing the soup gives it that great texture, but you don't have to transfer it to a blender while hot and mess with it.I think I need to make some tomorrow now!

  14. Santa Fe Runner REVIEW:
    October 5, 2008

    I was reared in Southern California and stopped by Anderson's Pea Soup restaurant every time I went to San Fran. I love this recipe. I am a vegetarian and few pea soup receipes don't have meat in them. This recipe is super.

  15. blueyedblonde REVIEW:
    February 13, 2008

    on a health kick at 51 trying cooking with dry beans and split peas, lentils etc...didn't know i had to soak beans...great recipe.

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Andersen's Split Pea Soup Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

What happened to Anderson's split pea soup? ›

The original location of Pea Soup Andersen's in Buellton quietly closed after nearly 100 years in business — but the location off Highway 5 remains open.

How to make canned split pea soup taste better? ›

For a variation, add 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon and 3 tablespoons of white wine to the soup instead of the garam masala. No ham on hand? Fry up some bacon and crumble it on top of the soup. A pale ale or an Alsatian gewurztraminer teams well with the spicy soup.

What thickens split pea soup? ›

How to Thicken Split Pea Soup. The potato should make your split pea soup perfectly thick and creamy. However, if the soup is still too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up with full-fat cream (though it may alter the flavor a bit) or a cornstarch slurry.

Why is my split pea soup not creamy? ›

One common reason is using too much water or broth while cooking. Additionally, if the split peas are not cooked long enough, they may not release enough starch to thicken the soup. Another possibility is not adding enough vegetables or other thickening ingredients during the cooking process.

Do they still make Anderson split pea soup? ›

Since 1940, Andersen's of Southern California has been producing its world-famous, all-natural, California-style split pea soups. AFP now brings these same great soups to the retail shelf in convenient 15-oz. cans. Andersen's soups are extra thick, rich, and creamy with a special blend of herbs and spices.

Why does split pea soup hurt my stomach? ›

From a Western nutrition perspective, legumes, lentils, and split peas can cause bloating because of the oligosaccharides present. Oligosaccharides are small sugars that aren't actually digested by us.

How to enhance the flavor of pea soup? ›

Salt and pepper you can just stir in. Same goes for bouillion cubes/paste, though you'll want to mix them into a small amount of soup first to get them to dissolve well and then stir that into the rest of the soup. If you want to add real meat, you'll want to cook it a while longer to get the flavor into the soup.

Why is my split pea soup hard? ›

If the peas are very old and dried out, they won't soften. And if the water you use for making the soup is hard with lots of dissolved minerals that can stop the peas from softening.

Why is my split pea soup brown? ›

If you cook peas for too long the soup turns a brown color more than a green color.

How much water do I use for 2 cups of split peas? ›

Cooking. Bring about 1.5 cups of water or broth to a boil for every cup of lentils or split peas. Add the lentils, allow water to return to boiling, reduce heat, partially cover pan, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the variety.

What can I add to bland split pea soup? ›

Add a bit of lemon zest to make those peas really sing. You can try the fresh pea approach with your favorite split pea soup recipe, but this super traditional, easy version is an Epicurious favorite.

What is the difference between split pea soup and pea soup? ›

A recipe for "pea soup" from 1905 is made with split peas, salt pork and cold roast beef. The soup is strained through a sieve to achieve the desired texture. "Split pea soup" is a slightly thinner soup with visible peas and pieces of ham, especially popular in the Northeast, the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

How to improve canned split pea soup? ›

A glug of quality olive oil in split pea soup or tomato bisque adds richness and grassy freshness. You can use sour cream or yogurt for the same type of richness with a bit of tang. If you have jarred pesto, stir that into soups for a bright, herby finish.

Can you overcook pea soup? ›

Update: If you overcook, the soup will get even thicker than usual! and turn a little bit of an olive drab color--it will still taste good though!"

Are the peas in split pea soup supposed to be mushy? ›

Also, the split peas should be tender-but-not-mushy.

Who bought pea soup Andersen's? ›

Pea Soup Andersen's Inn still open

Guggia Jr., in 1999, purchased the iconic 35,000-square-foot eatery located just off Highway 101 that historically is known for serving its famous split-pea soup to weary road travelers seeking a hearty meal.

Are there two pea soup Andersen's? ›

The Santa Nella restaurant then opened in 1976 as its second location. Other locations that operated in the 1980s included Carlsbad, Mammoth Lakes, and Selma. The Buellton location closed in January 2024 for redevelopment, leaving the Santa Nella restaurant as the only Pea Soup Andersen's location currently open.

Why is Andersen's closing? ›

Editor's note: While the Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant is closing for redevelopment, the hotel remains open. The iconic, nearly 100-year-old roadside restaurant Pea Soup Andersen's in the Santa Ynez Valley has abruptly closed, according to multiple reports.

Is Pea soup Andersen's closing Santa Nella? ›

An icon of kitschy Danish culture recognizable by its windmill, it is slated to be demolished and rebuilt. The Santa Nella location will remain open, as manager Armando Hurtado confirmed with The Standard. “They're going to redevelop it and make a new restaurant,” he said. “It's going to take about a year.

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