Name: Mashed split peas
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 250 g ofsplit peas; 50 g ofbacon bits; 40 g ofbutter; 1 carrot; 1 onion; 2 leaves oflettuces; 1,5 l ofwater; 1 bouquet garni (Parsley, thyme, bay leaf); salt and pepper

side dishes cooking in a pressure cooker traditional cuisine

Updated on 01 November 2025 by

ratatouille

9 reviews 4.7 : Very good

Level

Easy

Preparation

45 minutes

Cooking

30 minutes

Split peas are a legume that’s both delicious and nutritious. In this recipe for mashed split peas, they’re combined with herbs, bacon bits, carrots, and—the chef’s secret—lightened up with a bit of green salad!

The result is a fragrant, creamy, and flavorful purée. This purée makes a great side dish for grilled or steamed meat or fish.

Paired with rice, this split pea purée makes a complete meal rich in plant-based protein.

For a completely vegetarian dish, simply omit the bacon from the ingredients and sauté the vegetables in a little oil instead.

For

people

Add to shopping list

250 g of split peas
50 g of bacon bits
40 g of butter
1 carrot
1 onion
2 leaves of lettuces
1,5 l of water
1 bouquet garni Parsley, thyme, bay leaf
salt and pepper

1
Rinse the split peas. In a pressure cooker, add cold, unsalted water (up to one-third of the height) and add the split peas.
Do not fill your pressure cooker more than one-third of the way, as these split peas will produce a lot of foam while cooking.
2
Close the pressure cooker and let it boil for 20 minutes from the moment the valve starts to hiss.
3
Meanwhile, scrub the carrots and slice them into rounds. Peel the onions, remove the core, and slice them into thick rounds.
4
Once the split peas have finished cooking, drain them and rinse them under cold water.
5
Bring 1.5 liters of water to a boil. Brown the bacon bits in the pressure cooker.
The Chef's Tip
To brown the bacon bits, you don’t need to add any oil or butter—their own fat will suffice. Just make sure not to set the heat too high, so they have time to render their fat without burning.
6
In the pressure cooker, add the carrots and onions (sliced into rounds), the lettuce leaves, the bouquet garni, and the split peas. Give everything a stir, season with salt and pepper, and cover with boiling water (use only enough water to cover the split peas).
7
Close the pressure cooker and cook over low heat for 25 minutes starting from the moment the valve begins to whistle.
8
Drain the peas, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash them with a potato masher, or for a smoother purée, blend them in a food processor.
9
Stir in the remaining butter and add some of the cooking liquid until you reach the desired consistency. The purée should hold its shape but shouldn't be too dry.