Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (2024)

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Katerina

4.75 from 20 votes

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This easy Split Pea Soup with Ham is a hearty and delicious homemade soup prepared with tender split peas, veggies, and smoked ham.

Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (2)

I love classic recipes! The tried-and-true favorites are often fun and easy to master, and they’re so rewarding to serve up to a hungry tribe. This split pea soup is definitely one of those recipes, thanks to its delicate but smoky flavor and delicious hearty texture.

    Why We Love This Soup

    • Classic Comfort: This split pea soup is a time-honored recipe that’s enjoyable to make and serve.
    • Unique Flavor: Offers a smoky taste with the natural sweetness of split peas.
    • Hearty Texture: The soup has a hearty yet light texture, with split peas providing natural thickness.
    • Budget-Friendly: Made with affordable split peas, it’s a nutritious and economical meal option.
    Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (3)

    What Are Split Peas?

    Split peas are a legume, often prepared in saucy or soupy dishes. The flavor is mild and slightly sweet, perfect for various spices! In this simple split pea soup, we’ll use basic ingredients like carrots, onions, ham, and earthy herbs.

    Ingredients For Split Pea Soup

    • Butter & Olive Oil: I use a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil for sautéing.
    • Celery: You’ll need three celery stalks, diced.
    • Carrots: Along with the celery, dice up two small carrots.
    • Onion: For the onion, you can go with any type, but I usually use yellow onion.
    • Garlic: Mince or press three cloves of fresh garlic.
    • Broth: Have ready 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. If you’d like to substitute, this recipe also works well with vegetable broth or homemade bone broth.
    • Water: You’ll need two cups of water in addition to the broth.
    • Split Peas: You can use green or yellow dried split peas; green is most common. Either way, 16 ounces are needed for this recipe.
    • Bay Leaves: Two medium bay leaves give a classic homemade flavor.
    • Dried Thyme & Oregano: Use one teaspoon of each.
    • Salt & Pepper: To taste.
    • Ham: I recommend ham hocks or a meaty ham bone.
    Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (4)
    Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (5)

    How to Make Split Pea Soup with Ham

    1. Cook Veggies: In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté chopped celery, carrots, and onions for 4 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute.
    2. Add Ingredients: Add chicken broth, water, split peas, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and ham bone. Caution: go light on salt as the ham is salty!
    3. Cook: Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 1 hour and 20 minutes, checking at the one-hour mark for doneness.
    4. Chop Ham: Remove ham bone carefully (avoid splatters), let cool, then shred or chop the meat, discarding bones or skin.
    5. Finish Soup: Return ham to soup, cook for 1 minute, and adjust seasoning if needed. If too salty, add water to dilute it. Ladle into bowls and serve it garnished with parsley.
    Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (6)

    Recipe Tips And Variations

    • Sort: Raw split peas, like other legumes, should always be rinsed and sorted before eating. “Sorting” means looking through the peas to remove damaged ones or the occasional small pebble.
    • Rinse: Raw split peas should be rinsed in a large mesh sieve. They are so small that they often run right out of the holes in a colander.
    • Change It: Split Pea Soup can work with almost any add-ins, from curry sauce to potatoes to fresh crab meat. Some people also love adding fresh English peas to their soup.
    • Use Cubed Ham: If you’d rather not use ham hocks or a ham bone, you can still get the flavor by simply stirring cubed ham into the simmering soup.
    • Use Up Leftovers: Split pea soup is also great with leftover corned beef, sliced sausage, bacon crumbles, or no meat at all.
    • Crockpot Option: Exclude the 2 cups of water and parsley, and add all the other ingredients to a 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 5 hours. Remove the ham, shred it or chop it, and return it to the soup. Garnish with parsley and serve.

    What To Serve With Soup

    A simple grilled cheese is perfect with a split pea soup, but you could also go with a Reuben Sandwich or a Panzanella Sandwich. There’s nothing like homemade Cornbread for a cozy side or this quick Naan to sop up all that soupy goodness. But also, soft, fresh-baked Pretzel Bites make this meal a super-special treat!

    Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (7)

    How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

    • To store leftovers, place the soup in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 4 months.
    • To reheat it, place the desired amount into a saucepan and cook over medium heat until piping hot, stirring frequently.

    More Soup Recipes to Try

    • Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Easy Lentil Soup
    • Creamy Crack Chicken Soup
    • Ham Sweet Potato Soup
    • Turkey Noodle Soup

    Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (8)

    Easy Split Pea Soup with Ham

    Katerina | Diethood

    Smoky, hearty, and full of protein, this Easy Split Pea Soup with Ham is a meal worth savoring!

    4.75 from 20 votes

    Rate this Recipe!

    Servings : 8

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    Prep Time 15 minutes mins

    Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 celery stalks, diced
    • 2 carrots, diced
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 bag (16 ounces) dried split peas
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
    • pound ham hocks or a meaty ham bone
    • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil and melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.

    • Add chopped celery, carrots, and onions; cook for 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.

    • Stir in chicken broth and water.

    • Stir in split peas, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Don’t use too much salt because the ham hocks are already salty.

    • Add ham hocks to the pot and bring mixture to a boil.

    • Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. The soup is ready when the peas are soft. Start checking it for doneness around the 55-minute mark.

    • Remove ham from soup and let rest for several minutes, or until cooled enough to handle. Then, shred or chop up the meat into smaller pieces. Discard bones and skin.

    • Add chopped ham back into the soup. Cook for a minute.

    • Remove from heat. Taste the soup for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

    • Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve.

    Notes

    • Ham Alternatives: If you don’t have a ham bone, you could use diced ham or even smoked sausage for a different twist on flavor.
    • Adjusting Consistency: If the soup is too thick for your liking, you can add more broth or water to reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a little longer.
    • Vegetarian Version: You can make a vegetarian version by omitting the ham and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
    • Spice It Up: Feel free to add more herbs or spices to taste, such as a pinch of cayenne for heat or some fresh rosemary for depth.
    • Avoid Over-Salting: Since the ham (especially if cured or smoked) adds saltiness, taste as you go, adding salt gradually as needed.
    • Storing and Reheating: This soup freezes well. Store in airtight containers for up to three months. Reheat on the stove, adding a bit of water or broth if it’s too thick after freezing.
    • Slow Cooker Option: If you prefer, you can make this soup in a slow cooker, excluding the 2 cups of water, and adjust the cooking time to 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.5 cups | Calories: 500 kcal | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Protein: 38 g | Fat: 21 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g | Trans Fat: 0.1 g | Cholesterol: 81 mg | Sodium: 276 mg | Potassium: 1086 mg | Fiber: 16 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 2754 IU | Vitamin C: 4 mg | Calcium: 77 mg | Iron: 4 mg

    Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

    Course: Dinner

    Cuisine: American

    Keyword: homemade soup, pea and ham soup, split pea soup with ham hock

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

    Categories:

    • Dinner Recipes
    • Lunch
    • Pork Recipes
    • Recipes
    • Soups
    Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    How do you thicken split pea and ham soup? ›

    How to Thicken Split Pea Soup. The potato should make your split pea soup perfectly thick and creamy. However, if the soup is still too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up with full-fat cream (though it may alter the flavor a bit) or a cornstarch slurry.

    How do you make split pea soup less bland? ›

    If you want to take a shortcut, you could use bouillon cubes or paste to provide both meaty flavor and salt, though pork is a lot harder to find than chicken or beef. Salt and pepper you can just stir in.

    Is homemade split pea and ham soup good for you? ›

    Not only do I love the taste of split pea and ham soup – I love the nutritional value. Just one cup of split peas provides more than half your daily fiber intake – one cup! So that means, this soup will help keep you full. In addition, split peas are a good source of protein and many vitamins and minerals.

    Why is my split pea soup not creamy? ›

    One common reason is using too much water or broth while cooking. Additionally, if the split peas are not cooked long enough, they may not release enough starch to thicken the soup. Another possibility is not adding enough vegetables or other thickening ingredients during the cooking process.

    Should split pea soup be thick or thin? ›

    Split pea soup naturally thickens as the peas break down during cooking and also as it sits, especially if refrigerated. If it's too thick for your liking, you can easily thin it by adding a bit of chicken or vegetable broth, or even water, until you reach your desired consistency.

    Why is my pea and ham soup not thickening? ›

    Add flour or cornflour

    Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

    What can I add to pea soup to make it taste better? ›

    Ham - We'll be leftover diced ham so this is a great recipe to make with your leftovers from a holiday dinner. Vegetables - Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic are key to any great soup and this one is no exception! Seasoning - Fresh thyme pairs perfectly with the peas to flavor the soup.

    How do you add flavor to a bland split pea soup? ›

    Use bones, such as a ham hock or shank, even a turkey carcass. The collagen in the bones thickens the soup and the meat adds flavor. Start with a big Dutch Oven, Stock Pot, or slow cooker (minimum 3–4 quarts). Dump in a pint of mirepoix - diced onion, celery, and carrot.

    What can you use to thicken split pea soup? ›

    If you were short on peas, you can thicken with a slurry—a raw starch such as rice flour or cornstarch mixed with water, then whisked into the soup. The soup needs to come to a boil for the starch to gelatinize.

    Is pea soup good for your bowels? ›

    Split peas can help ease constipation in several ways. For one, they're teeming with fiber, a must-have nutrient for constipation relief. They're especially rich in soluble fiber, which draws a lot of water into your gastrointestinal tract, helping to make your stool a normal consistency so pooping is more comfortable.

    What do you eat with split pea soup? ›

    What do you serve with split pea soup? This soup is perfect paired with a grilled cheese sandwich (or just a hunk of crusty bread!) for dunking. For something lighter, serve it with fresh kale citrus salad. Or, if you want to keep things simple, just sprinkle a few crispy homemade croutons on top.

    What is the difference between split pea soup and pea soup? ›

    Pea Variety: The main difference lies in the type of peas used. Split pea soup is typically made from dried split peas, while green pea soup is made from fresh or frozen green peas. Texture: Split pea soup has a thicker and heartier texture compared to green pea soup.

    How much water do I need for 2 cups of split peas? ›

    Bring about 1.5 cups of water or broth to a boil for every cup of lentils or split peas. Add the lentils, allow water to return to boiling, reduce heat, partially cover pan, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the variety.

    What are the white things in split pea soup? ›

    Very likely the embryo of the peas! Each side of the pea is an endosperm, like the white of an egg. These are probably just left over embryos of the peas, or the yolk, if you will.

    Why does my split pea soup taste sour? ›

    A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.

    What's the best way to thicken split pea soup? ›

    Steam a large potato, peeled and cut into large chunks, over the stockpot for five to eight minutes or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through. Add the potatoes and soup to the blender and puree until the soup is smooth and creamy. The potatoes should further thicken the stock.

    Does split pea soup thicken as it cools? ›

    The starches and the gelatin will form a mesh when cooling, so the consistency of the pea-soup will always be thick when cold. On heating, do what Mien advised: add some water or broth to the soup to the consistency that you want.

    Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

    The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

    How long does it take split pea soup to thicken? ›

    Now just leave the soup to boil softly stirring about every 30 minutes, be sure when you stir you are scraping the bottom of the pot to keep everything from sticking. The soup should take most of the day, 6 to 8 hours, to thicken. The longer it cooks and thicker it becomes the better.

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