A lower-calorie way to make Soupe aux Pois
Soupe aux Pois — with yellow peas, vegetables, and a small amount of smoked ham
Québécois yellow pea soup gets body from legumes and vegetables rather than fatty salt pork, about 390 kcal per serving.
Control moisture first, build flavor through browning and aromatics, and use measured rich ingredients only where they are most noticeable. The finished soupe aux pois keeps its traditional shape and defining texture without a greasy or watery finish.
What changes—and what stays
From with salt pork and bread often 550–700 kcal to 390 calories
Use lean smoked ham as seasoning and let split peas provide the creamy body. Yellow peas, smoked ham, savory, bay, onion, carrot, and black pepper provide Quebec farmhouse flavor.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Use lean smoked ham as seasoning and let split peas provide the creamy body | Yellow peas, smoked ham, savory, bay, onion, carrot, and black pepper provide Quebec farmhouse flavor. |
How the flavor stays
Yellow peas, smoked ham, savory, bay, onion, carrot, and black pepper provide Quebec farmhouse flavor.
A cost rule that survives inflation
Dried yellow peas, carrots, celery, and onion make eight inexpensive bowls with 350 grams of ham.
Ingredients for 8
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 700 gdried yellow split peas
- 350 glean smoked ham
- 600 gcarrots
- 500 gcelery
- 500 gonion
- 3 llow-sodium stock
- 20 ggarlic
- 10 gsavory bay and pepper
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Rinse peas until clear
Sort and rinse split peas repeatedly before draining.
Look for: Rinse water runs clear with no grit.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Sweat vegetables without browning
Soften onion, carrot, and celery in a splash of stock.
Look for: Vegetables glisten without oil or dark spots.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Simmer peas very gently
Add peas, stock, herbs, and a whole piece of ham and cook below a boil.
Look for: Peas collapse while the pot bottom stays clean.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Shred ham and adjust texture
Remove and trim ham, shred it back in, and thin soup only as needed.
Look for: Soup coats a spoon without fatty droplets.
Calories at the same serving size
176 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 8 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Cool Soupe aux Pois within two hours and refrigerate sealed for up to three days. Reheat only what you need.
Cool Soupe aux Pois within two hours and refrigerate sealed for up to three days. Reheat only what you need.
Frequently asked questions
Can Soupe aux Pois be prepared a day ahead?
Yes. Chill promptly and keep crisp or delicate components separate until serving. Cool Soupe aux Pois within two hours and refrigerate sealed for up to three days. Reheat only what you need.
What does the calorie figure for Soupe aux Pois include?
It covers one of the stated servings from the listed quantities only; extra sides are not included. Use lean smoked ham as seasoning and let split peas provide the creamy body.
- dried yellow split peas700 g
- lean smoked ham350 g
- carrots600 g
- celery500 g
CaloNote · mobile analysis example
Check the Soupe aux Pois serving you actually made
Photograph the finished plate in CaloNote, review the detected ingredients and portion, and correct the estimate before saving.
This uses the real CaloNote meal-detail layout with this recipe’s photo and estimated nutrition. Actual AI results vary with the photo and portion.
Analyze my meal in CaloNoteMethod and sources
Recipe development and nutrition review: CaloNote Editorial
This editorial recipe uses ingredient-level nutrition estimates and reviewed cooking principles. It is not represented as physically test-cooked, and nutrition is approximate.
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
Make another familiar dinner lighter
Carrot Cake: a lighter Canadian recipe with a clear doneness check
Canadian Carrot Cake for eight: squeeze only excess carrot water, fold a thick batter, and layer with a thin yoghurt frosting after cooling. The measured formula uses carrots, whole-wheat flour, walnuts, eggs, and unsweetened apple purée; the reliable finish is the crumb is moist but springs back and the frosting stays in place. About 345 kcal per portion.
See the recipe
Pumpkin Pie: a lighter Canadian recipe with a clear doneness check
Canadian Pumpkin Pie for eight: blind-bake the shell and bake the maple pumpkin custard just to a unified wobble. The measured formula uses pumpkin purée, eggs, low-fat milk, whole-wheat pastry, and maple syrup; the reliable finish is the edges are firm and the centre has no wet ripple. About 345 kcal per portion.
See the recipe