Hernekeitto (Finnish Yellow Pea Soup)

About This Recipe

Hernekeitto is Finland's Thursday soup — a tradition so deep-rooted that it has been served in the Finnish Defence Forces, schools, restaurants, and homes every Thursday for over a century. The soup is made from dried yellow split peas slow-cooked with smoked pork knuckle or sausage until everything is thick and deeply savory. It is always served with a side of Finnish mustard (a distinctly mild, sweet variety) and followed by pannukakku (oven pancake) as dessert — an inseparable pairing in Finnish tradition. Simple, economical, and extraordinarily nourishing, hernekeitto represents the best of Finnish home cooking.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gdried yellow split peas, soaked overnight
• 500 gsmoked pork knuckle or ham hock
• 1 mediumonion, diced
• 2 mediumcarrots, diced
• 2 literswater
• 1 tspdried marjoram
• 0.5 tspdried thyme
• 1 tspsalt (adjust to pork saltiness)
• 0.5 tspwhite pepper
• Finnish mustardor mild wholegrain mustard, for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the peas

   Drain the soaked yellow split peas and rinse well. (If you forgot to soak, rinse thoroughly and add 30 minutes to cooking time.)

2. 2

   Start the broth

   Place the pork knuckle in a large pot with 2 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a steady simmer.

3. 3

   Add peas and vegetables

   Add the drained peas, diced onion, and carrots to the pot. Add marjoram and thyme. Simmer on medium-low heat for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas have completely broken down and the soup is thick.

4. 4

   Remove and shred the pork

   Lift out the pork knuckle. Remove the meat from the bone, discard fat and skin, and shred or dice the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the meat to the pot.

5. 5

   Season and serve

   Season with salt and white pepper, keeping in mind the pork is already salty. Simmer for another 10 minutes. The soup should be very thick — thin with a little water if needed. Serve with Finnish mustard on the side.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian version: skip the pork, use vegetable stock, and add a teaspoon of liquid smoke.

• •

  Use smoked sausage instead of knuckle for a quicker, still very flavorful version.

• •

  Add diced potato in the last 20 minutes for an even heartier soup.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Hernekeitto thickens considerably when chilled — thin with water when reheating. Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Freezes excellently for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions