This hearty satisfying vegetable packed split pea soup is delicious for lunch or dinner.  You can make this completely vegetarian using vegetable stock or you can use chicken or beef broth.  We used vegetable stock with about a cups worth of chicken broth just to use up what we had on hand.  Also, a word about Za'atar.  I have never used it before, and when I opened the jar the aroma was heavenly.  So it definitely was going into this soup.  If you do not have Za'atar, some fresh or dried thyme and rosemary would be lovely.

With yellow split peas you do not need to soak them after a good rinse, but I chose to soak mine for 3 1/2 hours, drained and rinsed them well.  Your cooking time will take longer and need to be adjusted if you do not pre soak the peas.

2/3 cup yellow split peas, rinsed well, and soaked for 3 1/2 hours

1-2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the vegetables, chop them small the same size

3/4 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped turnip

1 large shallot diced

3/4 cup chopped potatoes - I used roughly peeled small red and yellow gem potatoes

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

chopped fresh parsley

1 large bay leaf

1 tsp. tumeric

1 1/2 tsp. Za'atar

salt to taste

Heat up a dutch oven on low/medium heat the the EVOO.  Add in all your vegetables except the potatoes.  Saute 5 minutes, then add in the seasonings except for the parsley and salt.

Continue to saute another 3 minutes, then pour in your stock and the rinsed soaked peas.  Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low lid on and simmer 35 minutes.  At that point remove the lid and add in salt to taste, and the potatoes and cook another 15 minutes lid off until the peas and and potatoes are tender.  In total my soup took 45-50 minutes till cooked.  When done, sprinkle in the parsley, give another stir and serve with good gluten free bread.