Sunny Splits Soup

Three legumes in one pot: green split peas, yellow split peas, and red lentils. Each one breaks down at a slightly different rate, giving this vegetarian soup layers of texture from creamy to chunky.

Caraway seeds are the unexpected backbone here. They add a warm, almost rye bread-like aroma that pairs beautifully with the earthy legumes. It’s a small amount but you’ll notice if it’s missing.

The sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) go in during the last 10 minutes. They cook to crisp-tender, adding a nutty sweetness and satisfying bite that contrasts with the soft, broken-down peas and lentils around them. If you’ve never cooked with sunchokes before, this is a great place to start.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the soaking water for cooking. It contains starches from the legumes that help thicken the soup naturally.
• Skim the foam that rises when the beans first come to a boil. It’s harmless but makes the broth cloudy.
• Don’t add salt until the end. Salt added too early can toughen the beans and extend cooking time.
• Cut sunchokes into even chunks so they cook at the same rate. Peel them if the skin is thick, but thin-skinned ones are fine unpeeled.

Variations

• Stir in a handful of fresh spinach or kale in the last 2 minutes for added greens.
• Add smoked paprika and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end for a brighter, smokier flavor.
• Swap sunchokes for diced potatoes or turnips if sunchokes aren’t available.