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This split pea soup with ham is full of flavor and super easy to make! It’s made with green split peas, veggies, and ham.
I love to serve it with Italian bread or cheesy garlic bread on the side for a full meal.
If you love cozy soup recipes, then you will love this one! It’s perfect for a cold winter day but so delicious that I make it year-round. For more of my favorite soup recipes, check out this Italian wedding soup and broccoli cheese soup.
INGREDIENT NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Chicken broth– you are welcome to use low sodium or vegetable broth or stocks. Bouillion is also a great alternative.
- Dried split peas– these are the main ingredient in our split pea soup. They completely cook in the broth. They are pantry items that will last for some time and are very inexpensive. Split peas are high in fiber and protein and are low in fat and cholesterol. They also provide some vitamins and minerals. You could also use yellow split peas.
- Smoked ham hock– You will find this in the refrigerated meat section of most stores. It usually comes in a two pack. If you can’t find smoked ham hocks, feel free to use regular diced ham.
TOP TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Go easy on the salt, as the ham hock will create a salty soup. But make sure to season to taste right before serving.
- You could top soup with croutons.
- Add potatoes.
- Make it vegetarian by omitting the ham and adding a little liquid smoke.
- Reduce the liquid slightly to make a thicker soup. Add more liquid to thin.
Make it in a Crockpot…
Simply add all ingredients to a crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8 hours. Remove remove ham hock, shred meat, and return meat to the crockpot. Stir and serve garnished with parsley.
Make it in an Instant Pot…
You will need at least a 6 qt. sized Instant Pot to make this. Turn pressure cooker to sauté setting.
Add oil and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery for about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot except for parsley. Turn off sauté feature and cover with lid.
Set to manual high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow Instant Pot to naturally release for 10-15 minutes, then turn the quick release valve. Remove ham hock and shred meat, discarding fat and bone.
Return meat to pot, stir and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and/or thyme and freshly cracked pepper.
STORAGE
To store split pea soup, let cool completely before pouring in an air-tight storage container and placing in the refrigerator for up to one week.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months by placing it in freezer containers or bags once cooled. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove top or microwave. This soup thickens once cooled, so add a little water as needed to thin out.
Tried this soup? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Split Pea Soup With Ham
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 lb dried green split peas
- 1 smoked ham hog , or 2 cups leftover diced ham
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme , or ½ tsp dried thyme
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and sort peas.
- In a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once heated, add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add peas, ham, broth, water, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer on low heat for one hour.
- Take out ham hock and set aside to cool for 20 minutes. Soup will continue to simmer. Once meat is cooled, remove any fat and the bone and discard. Dice meat into pieces. Discard bay leaves before adding the diced ham to soup. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed, and garnish with fresh thyme and parsley.
Notes
- Go easy on the salt, as the ham hock will create a salty soup. But make sure to season to taste right before serving.
- You could top soup with croutons.
- Add potatoes.
- Make it vegetarian by omitting the ham and adding a little liquid smoke.
- Reduce the liquid slightly to make a thicker soup. Add more liquid to thin.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was absolutely delicious! Will definitely make again.