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Pea Soup with Smoked Ribs
Instructions
Prepare all the ingredients for the pea soup with smoked ribs. The evening before cooking, pour the required amount of peas into a 1-litre jar, fill it with water, stir, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Before cooking, rinse the peas well, cover them with water and put them on the heat. Cook the peas over low heat until soft. Peas soaked overnight take 30 to 60 minutes; if they were not soaked, it will take about 1.5 hours.
Peel, rinse and cut the potatoes into small cubes.
Add the prepared potatoes to the peas. Cook the soup until the potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, prepare the sauté. Peel the onion and cut it into small pieces. Peel the carrot and grate it on a coarse grater.
Sauté the carrot and onion in vegetable oil until golden.
Add the sautéed vegetables to the soup.
Add salt and pepper.
Cut the smoked ribs into pieces.
Add the chopped ribs to the pot. After it comes to a boil, cook for 20 minutes.
Finely chop the dill and add it with the bay leaf to the soup. After it comes to a boil, turn off the heat. Let the soup stand for 10 minutes. The pea soup with smoked ribs is ready.
Ladle it into bowls and serve for lunch. Add chopped green onion to each serving.Enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
SOAK THE PEAS OVERNIGHT – this is a must. Otherwise cooking will take 1.5 hours. Soaked peas will cook in 30–60 minutes.
- 2
COOK THE RIBS FOR 20 MINUTES – so they release their aroma into the broth. A shorter time means a weaker flavour.
- 3
SOAK THEM IN THE FRIDGE – this way the peas will not start to ferment and will keep their properties. Left out in the warmth, they can turn sour.
- 4
10 MINUTES OF STANDING – the flavours will come together. The same principle works in other kinds of pea soup with smoked meats.
FAQ
Which ribs should you choose? +
Semi-smoked pork ribs with streaks of fat are ideal – they give the broth aroma and richness. Brands such as Velkom, Dymov, Mikoyan and Rublevsky are reliable. Naturally smoked ribs (without liquid smoke) are more aromatic. Fresh chilled ribs are better than frozen. Choose a medium size (3–4 cm thick), with meat making up at least 60% of the weight. Alternatives: smoked pork brisket, smoked lard, smoked pork ham (on the bone), smoked chicken wings. Defrost frozen ribs in the fridge for 6–8 hours. Avoid: ribs with a yellow coating or a sharp chemical smell.
What can replace smoked ribs? +
Alternatives: smoked sausage (Krakowska, Okhotnichya), smoked bacon, smoked brisket, smoked ham, smoked chicken. For a "wartime" version – top-grade pork stew (tushonka). For a "tender" version – boiled sausages (but without the characteristic aroma). For a lean version – leave out the meat and add more vegetables and mushrooms. For a "premium" version – cured venison or duck breast. Without a smoked component you will get an ordinary pea soup, without the characteristic "smoky" accent. A combination of smoked and boiled meat products is the most balanced option.
How long does the soup keep? +
In the fridge in a covered pot – 3 days. On the second day the flavour is brighter, as it "settles". Reheat over low heat, adding 100 ml of water (it thickens overnight). In the microwave – 4–5 minutes on medium power. In the freezer – up to 1 month in portions. Defrost in the fridge for 8–12 hours, then heat through. After defrosting the texture changes slightly (the peas become "grainier"), but the flavour is preserved. It is ideal as a "lunch for 3 days". For "freshness" when reheating, add fresh herbs and chopped green onion.
What to serve the soup with? +
A Russian classic: with croutons or garlic toast (homemade from dark bread). With black or grey bread, or rye crispbread. With fresh herbs (dill, parsley, green onion). With mustard or horseradish for a piquant accent. With a pickled cucumber and sauerkraut, "peasant style". With a shot of vodka, "Russian style". With sour cream (1 tbsp) for a milder taste. For a "winter lunch", with warmed bread and butter. For a "wartime" flavour, with dried bread crusts. For children, with boiled chicken instead of ribs. With herbal tea, a warming option for the cold season.
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