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Soup

Mexican Split Pea Soup

A hearty soup of split peas, tomatoes, corn, and green chilies simmered with onions, garlic, cumin, and oregano.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 14 ingredients
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Why it works: Cumin and oregano match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 983 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓

Mexican Split Pea Soup

Time35 to 45 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Make the soup base

  1. Cook onion in oil over medium‑high heat until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.

  2. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer.

  3. Add cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

  4. Add oregano and split peas, stir to coat peas with oil, then add water and chilies.

  5. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 35 to 45 minutes, or until peas are just tender.

Add vegetables and finish

  1. Add tomatoes, corn, and bell pepper, and simmer another 15 to 20 minutes.

  2. Add salt to taste.

  3. Sprinkle each serving with shredded cheese and crushed red pepper, if desired.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

606Calories
25 gProtein
35 gFat
54 gCarbs

Counts 13 of 14 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 13 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Cheddar Cheese1 oz (28g)113
Cheese1 oz (28g) cheddar113
Corn1/2 cup kernels (82g)77
Pea1/2 cup (72g)62
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Bell Pepper1 medium (119g)31
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Cumin1 tsp ground (2.1g)8
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Oregano1 tsp dried (1.8g)5
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Waternot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Cumin + oreganotop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together983 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  2. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together29,058 recipes

    Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

  3. Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,082 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  4. Oregano + tomatotop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together2,767 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).

  5. Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,756 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Split peas
Break down as they simmer, thickening the soup and giving it body.
Onion
Softens while cooking in oil, adding sweetness and a savory base.
Garlic
Releases aroma as it cooks briefly in the oil, building savory flavor.
Ground cumin
Blooming in hot oil releases its warm, earthy aroma into the soup.
Tomatoes
Add acidity and moisture, rounding out the broth's flavor.
Green chilies
Add heat and a fresh, green flavor to the broth.

The step that matters

Simmering the split peas until just tender. Split peas can turn mushy or stay grainy if cooked too long or too briefly. Covered, gentle simmering cooks them evenly while the water slowly softens their starch, so the texture stays intact.

Swap the peas

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, clove, garlic, cumin, oregano, tomato, corn):

  1. Chickpeafits better
  2. Beansfits better
  3. Lentilsfits better
  4. Peasthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against onion, clove, garlic, cumin, oregano, tomato, corn. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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