Potaje de Chicharos (Cuban Split Pea Soup)
Potaje de Chicharos (Cuban Split Pea Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried green split peas
- 1 pound smoked ham hock, or meaty ham bone
- 2 bay leaves, large
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup green bell peppers, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
- 4 ounces chorizo, sliced
- 1/3 cup dry cooking wine, vino seco
- 1 cup calabaza squash, peeled and cubed, or butternut squash
- 1 Russet potato, large, peeled and cubed
Instructions
- 1
Soak the 1 pound dried green split peas overnight in a bowl of water. This step requires approximately 8 hours of passive time.
- 2
Add the soaked split peas to a large pot along with the 1 pound smoked ham hock (or meaty ham bone), 2 large bay leaves, and 6 cups chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
⏱️ 65 min
- 3
While the split peas are cooking, prepare the sofrito. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate pan. Add 1 cup diced onion and 1 cup diced green bell peppers, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Add 4 cloves minced garlic to the pan with the vegetables and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant. Then, add 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon oregano, and cook for 1 minute more, stirring well.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Add 4 ounces sliced chorizo to the pan with the sofrito and cook for 5 minutes until it is browned and has rendered some of its fat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add 1/3 cup dry cooking wine (vino seco) to the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to reduce slightly, about 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Peel and cube 1 cup calabaza squash (or butternut squash) and 1 large Russet potato.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Carefully remove the cooked ham hock from the large pot. Shred the meat from the bone and discard the bone. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the split peas.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Add the prepared sofrito mixture, cubed squash, and cubed potato to the pot with the split peas and ham. Stir everything together. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
⏱️ 30 min - 10
To thicken the soup to your desired consistency, use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to mash some of the peas and vegetables directly in the pot.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Serve hot and enjoy your authentic Potaje de Chicharos.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Potaje de Chicharos (Cuban Split Pea Soup)
- 1 pound dried green split peas
- 1 pound smoked ham hock, or meaty ham bone
- 2 bay leaves, large
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup green bell peppers, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
- 4 ounces chorizo, sliced
- 1/3 cup dry cooking wine, vino seco
- 1 cup calabaza squash, peeled and cubed, or butternut squash
- 1 Russet potato, large, peeled and cubed
Instructions
- 1
Soak the 1 pound dried green split peas overnight in a bowl of water. This step requires approximately 8 hours of passive time.
- 2
Add the soaked split peas to a large pot along with the 1 pound smoked ham hock (or meaty ham bone), 2 large bay leaves, and 6 cups chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
⏱️ 65 min - 3
While the split peas are cooking, prepare the sofrito. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate pan. Add 1 cup diced onion and 1 cup diced green bell peppers, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Add 4 cloves minced garlic to the pan with the vegetables and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant. Then, add 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon oregano, and cook for 1 minute more, stirring well.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Add 4 ounces sliced chorizo to the pan with the sofrito and cook for 5 minutes until it is browned and has rendered some of its fat.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add 1/3 cup dry cooking wine (vino seco) to the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to reduce slightly, about 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Peel and cube 1 cup calabaza squash (or butternut squash) and 1 large Russet potato.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Carefully remove the cooked ham hock from the large pot. Shred the meat from the bone and discard the bone. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the split peas.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Add the prepared sofrito mixture, cubed squash, and cubed potato to the pot with the split peas and ham. Stir everything together. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
⏱️ 30 min - 10
To thicken the soup to your desired consistency, use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to mash some of the peas and vegetables directly in the pot.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Serve hot and enjoy your authentic Potaje de Chicharos.
⏱️ 2 min