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Split Pea Soup

A cozy and hearty split pea soup with ham and vegetables, perfect for chilly days.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: comfort food, Ham soup, Hearty Soup, Split Pea Soup, Vegetable Soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 250kcal

Ingredients

Base ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil For sautéing
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion Chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups chopped celery Chopped
  • 1 tsp minced garlic Minced
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken broth Low sodium preferred
  • 4 cups water Used to dilute broth
  • 16 oz dried split peas Picked over and rinsed
  • 2 units bay leaves For flavor
  • 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme Or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper Adjust based on preference

Meat ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb meaty ham bone or ham shanks For added flavor

Vegetable ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped carrots Chopped
  • to taste Chopped fresh parsley For garnish, optional

Instructions

Preparation

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add the chopped onion and celery, sautéing them for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften.
  • Toss in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.

Cooking

  • Pour in the unsalted chicken broth and water.
  • Add the split peas, bay leaves, and thyme. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  • Nestle the meaty ham bone into the soup mixture.
  • Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
  • Cover the pot and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas and ham are tender, which should take about 60 to 80 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the ham from the soup after cooking. Let it rest for about 10 minutes, then shred or dice the meat into bite-sized pieces.
  • Add the chopped carrots to the soup.
  • Cover the pot and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the peas are mostly broken down, which will take another 30 minutes.
  • Stir the shredded or diced ham back into the soup and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Serve the soup warm, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if you like.

Notes

Split Pea Soup keeps well in the fridge for about 5 days and can be frozen. For a vegetarian version, omit the ham and use vegetable broth. Add red pepper flakes for extra heat.