Traditional Dutch Split Pea Soup (Snert)

By
Karin Engelbrecht
Karin Engelbrecht
Magazine editor, restaurant reviewer, and food writer who focuses on Dutch cuisine.
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Updated on 08/24/21
Traditional Dutch Split Pea Soup
Karin Engelbrecht
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 75 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
872 Calories
45g Fat
63g Carbs
55g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 872
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 58%
Saturated Fat 15g 73%
Cholesterol 155mg 52%
Sodium 1633mg 71%
Total Carbohydrate 63g 23%
Dietary Fiber 17g 62%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 55g
Vitamin C 16mg 80%
Calcium 124mg 10%
Iron 6mg 35%
Potassium 1785mg 38%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This old family recipe makes a thick, hearty pea soup, and that's how it should be. In fact, the Dutch believe that erwtensoep (also known as snert) should be so thick that you can stand a spoon upright in it.

Made with split peas, plenty of vegetables, and pork, this delicious Dutch pea soup is traditionally served on New Year's Day in the Netherlands but is also enjoyed throughout the fall and winter months.

If you prefer a slightly thinner soup, simply add more stock. It's customary to serve this hearty winter soup with slices of rookworst (smoked sausage) and rye bread topped with katenspek (a type of Dutch bacon that is first cooked, then smoked).

Ingredients

  • 7 1/2 cups (1 3/4 liters) water

  • 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) dried green split peas

  • 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) pork belly, Dutch speklapjes or thick-cut bacon

  • 1 pork chop

  • 1 bouillon cube, vegetable, pork, or chicken

  • 2 stalks celery

  • 2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced

  • 1 large potato, peeled and cubed

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 1 small leek, sliced

  • 1 cup cubed celeriac

  • 1 pound sausage, chopped rookworst smoked sausage, or smoked soft metwurst or frankfurter/wiener sausages

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 handful celery leaves, chopped, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large soup pot, bring water, split peas, pork belly or bacon, pork chop, and bouillon cube to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, and skimming off any foam that rises to the top. 

  3. Remove the pork chop, debone, and thinly slice the meat. Set aside.

  4. Add the celery, carrots, potato, onion, leek, and celeriac to the soup. Return to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, adding a little extra water if the ingredients start to stick to the bottom of the pot.

  5. Add the smoked sausage for the last 15 minutes of cooking time. When the vegetables are tender, remove the bacon and smoked sausage, slice thinly, and set aside.

  6. If you prefer a smooth consistency, purée the soup with a stick blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the meat back to the soup, setting some slices of rookworst aside.

  7. Serve in heated bowls or soup plates, garnished with slices of rookworst and chopped celery leaf.

Tips

  • If you can't find rookworst where you live, it might be available online. Or you can use smoked kielbasa, smoked soft metwurst, frankfurter, or wiener sausages instead.
  • Celery leaf is sold as an herb in Dutch supermarkets, but you easily can substitute the tender green leaves in the center of a regular bunch of celery instead.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Leftover split pea soup can be store in the fridge for up to five days.
  • Freeze this soup for up to three months by placing it in an airtight container or freezer bags.