Laura Pazzaglia blogs at HipPressureCooking.com.

Creamy Split Pea & Bacon Soup

Simple and satisfying, this old-fashioned, creamy green soup is good—and good for you.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

FUNCTION: Sauté (Normal); Pressure/Manual (High)

CLOSED POT TIME: 50 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

RELEASE: Natural

SERVES: 4 to 6

• 5 slices bacon or 3.5 ounces pancetta, chopped
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, large diced
• 2 cups dried green split peas, rinsed
• 6 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

PREP

Select sauté on the Instant Pot® and adjust to normal. Add the bacon to the pot. When the fat begins to render and bacon begins to fry in the fat, stir until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving any remaining fat in the pot; set aside.

Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the pot. Sauté in the bacon fat until the onions have softened for about 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the inner pot. Press cancel.

Add split peas, the water, bay leaf, and salt; stir to combine. Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve.

COOK

Select manual and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. When cooking is complete, use a natural release to depressurize.

SERVE

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir half of the bacon into the soup. Serve the soup topped with remaining bacon bits.