It’s hard to get more old-fashioned—or delicious—than split pea soup. Thanks to their tiny size, these dried peas cook down perfectly, delivering a hearty texture that’s wonderfully filling. I’ve loaded my recipe with extra carrots for color and sweetness, and potato that dissolves into the soup, giving it extra creaminess. Browning ham at the beginning of the cooking process builds a rich flavor base that pays off big time when it’s time for dinner. Don’t forget to also try my easy lentil soup recipe.
How to Make Split Pea Soup
1. Add the cooked ham to a Dutch oven with a little olive oil and fry.
2. Once slightly brown and crispy remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the chopped onion and saute until soft.
4. Add the rest of the veggies and herbs and saute for a few minutes more.
5. Add the split peas and broth and bring to a simmer.
6. Add some of the ham, cover and simmer until the veggies and peas are tender.
7. Once cooked remove the lid.
8. Use a potato masher to puree the soup slightly and serve.
What to serve it with
I love to serve this soup topped with reserved crispy cooked ham and lots of crusty bread for dunking. This soup is so warming, hearty and comforting you don’t need anything else!
Top Tips and Ideas for this recipe
- On rare occasions, split peas get packaged with small stones or grit leftover from the harvesting process. For best results, rinse the dried peas in a colander, and sort through to remove any debris.
- You can purchase pre-diced ham; it’s located near the bacon in most grocery stores. I prefer getting a small (around 1 lb.) packaged portion of unsliced ham and dicing it myself.
- If you’d like to make this dish vegetarian, leave out the ham, and use vegetable stock.
- This soup thickens after it cools; when reheating, stir in additional broth to loosen, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to soak split peas before cooking?
This really depends on the brand of split peas you buy so always check the packaging. Usually you don’t need to soak them and only need to rinse them under cold running water.
Is it healthy?
Split pea soup is really nutritious and high in fiber and protein. It’s packed with healthy vegetables, wholesome broth and cooked ham. Cooked ham is usually pretty well seasoned so always try your soup before adding any extra salt (you probably won’t need it).
What should I do if my soup is too thick?
If your soup is too thick you can easily thin it out by adding more stock or water. Just add a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency. The soup often thickens as it cools.
How can I store leftovers?
Leftovers will last for up to 4 days in the fridge, just reheat in a pot until piping hot (you may need to add extra liquid as mentioned above). You can also freeze leftovers in a suitable container then thaw completely before reheating.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil divided
- 3 cups diced cooked ham
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 tsp. kosher salt divided
- ½ tsp. black pepper divided
- 1 ½ cups diced carrot
- 1 cup diced peeled potato
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock plus additional as needed
- 1 lb. dried split peas
- Crusty baguette to serve
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add ham; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Set ham aside using a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add onion, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add carrot, potato, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme; cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add broth and peas; bring to a simmer. Add 2 cups of cooked ham. Cover, reduce heat to
- medium low, and simmer until carrots, peas, and potato are tender, about 50 minutes.
- Using a potato masher, mash vegetables until soup reaches desired consistency; stir in
- remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- If desired, thin soup with additional stock until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste, and add additional salt, if desired.
- Garnish servings with reserved 1 cup ham. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- On rare occasions, split peas get packaged with small stones or grit leftover from the harvesting process. For best results, rinse the dried peas in a colander, and sort through to remove any debris.
- You can purchase pre-diced ham; it’s located near the bacon in most grocery stores. I prefer getting a small (around 1 lb.) packaged portion of unsliced ham and dicing it myself.
- If you’d like to make this dish vegetarian, leave out the ham, and use vegetable stock.
- This soup thickens after it cools; when reheating, stir in additional broth to loosen, if desired.
