Pea Soup with Sausage

By Addie

“Grandma's scrumptious pea soup was the perfect pick-me-up on chilly autumn afternoons.”

Ingredients

• 8 ounces smoked sausage
• 3 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 medium onion
• 1 (16-ounce) package dried split peas, sorted and rinsed
• 3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth

Preparation

Step 1

Cut sausage lengthwise into halves, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.


Slice carrots and celery; chop onion. Place vegetables in resealable plastic food storage bag; seal and refrigerate until ready to use.


Spray nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the sausage; cook until browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from skillet to paper towels; drain well.

Combine sausage, carrots, celery, onion and split peas in slow cooker. Add marjoram, bay leaf and broth to sausage mixture in slow cooker; mix well.


Cover and cook on LOW until the 
peas are tender, 4 to 5 hours. Turn off heat. Remove and discard bay leaf. Cover and let soup stand 15 minutes to thicken. Ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately.
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Grandma's Secret Tip:

Grandma would sometimes substitute different types of sausage when making this hearty soup. When she wanted the soup to have a spicier flavor, she used andouille sausage, which she bought from her local butcher.