A thick, warming yellow split pea soup simmered with salted pork, traditionally eaten on Thursdays with mustard and pancakes.
Ärtsoppa is a real, traditional Swedish dish, known as Swedish Yellow Pea Soup with Pork. A thick, warming yellow split pea soup simmered with salted pork, traditionally eaten on Thursdays with mustard and pancakes.\n\nÄrtsoppa has been eaten on Thursdays in Sweden since at least the medieval era, a custom some historians link to preparing for the Catholic fasting day of Friday; it remains standard in Swedish schools and the military to this day.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Swedish home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 6
Drain the soaked peas and rinse well; skim off any loose skins that float to the top.
Combine peas, pork, onion, bay leaves, thyme and water in a large pot and bring to a boil, skimming foam for the first 10 minutes.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the peas break down into a thick soup.
Remove the pork, slice it, and return half back into the pot; keep the rest to serve alongside.
Remove bay leaves, season with salt to taste, and serve hot with a spoonful of mustard stirred in at the table.
Old, dry split peas take much longer to soften — buy from a store with good turnover.
Skim the foam diligently in the first 10 minutes or the soup will taste muddy.
Leftover soup thickens overnight; thin it with a splash of water when reheating.
A vegetarian version uses smoked paprika and vegetable stock instead of pork.
Some households add diced carrot and leek for extra body.
Serve with warm pancakes and lingonberry jam for the full traditional Thursday meal.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Ärtsoppa has been eaten on Thursdays in Sweden since at least the medieval era, a custom some historians link to preparing for the Catholic fasting day of Friday; it remains standard in Swedish schools and the military to this day.
You can, but the soup won't get the same creamy body from long simmering — dried peas are worth the wait.
A salted pork shoulder or hock gives the richest broth; bacon works in a pinch but is saltier.
Peas vary in age; simmer longer uncovered to let more liquid reduce and peas break down further.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 6 servings total
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