Split Pea Soup
Split Pea Soup is one of the easiest soup recipes to make. It’s pretty hands off no matter the method you utilize to cook. It’s also pretty adaptable for various diet options, including vegan and vegetarian.
The elements of this soup combine to produce a silky and smoky flavor unsurpassed by store bought brands. The peas add the starchiness and thickness while the sweet carrots and salty ham balance out the earthy flavor of the peas.
This is a great way to utilize leftover smoked ham or Baked Ham from Easter Dinner. Leftover ham would also go well in our Instant Pot Potato Soup Recipe.
Ingredients
Besides split peas and the optional ham, the ingredients are mainly healthy vegetables: chicken broth, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper, salt.
Ham Bone Substitutes
While many use ham bone in their Split Pea Soup, I tend to use leftover deli ham since that’s usually what I have on hand. You could also use smoked ham shanks, ham hocks or leftover ham in roaster oven. It’s such a flavorful soup recipe, you can’t go wrong with any versions of ham, really.
Recipe Notes
- The split peas need to be rinsed and picked through to remove any stones that may be mixed into the bag. DO NOT skip this step. Who wants a trip to the Dentist for a broken tooth?
- To reduce carbs, feel free to omit the potatoes. No replacement is needed.
- The thickness of the soup is adjustable to your personal preference, hence the range in the amount of broth needed. Start with the lowest called for amount and add to the end product as you see fit. The soup continue to thicken as it stands, so the longer it cooks the thicker it will be.
- With the exception of the butter and olive oil, the ingredients for the slow cooker version, Instant Pot version and stovetop version stay the same.
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Do Split Peas Need To Be Soaked?
None of these versions require the beans to be pre-soaked.
Is This Soup Vegan/Vegetarian?
It sure can be. Just utilize vegetable stock in place of the chicken broth, omit the ham and use equal parts olive oil in place of the butter.
Can You Freeze This Soup?
Split pea soup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure the soup is completely cooled and tightly covered. It will thicken so be prepared to add a little chicken broth or water to thin out a bit when reheating.
More Soup Recipes
Here are a few other soup recipes to check out:
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
10 Minute Egg Drop Soup
Carrot and Ginger Soup
Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Zuppa Tuscana Soup
Asparagus Soup
This recipe was originally posted in January 2019, but it’s been updated to include additional directions. The recipe and photos have not changed.
Split Pea Soup (Instant Pot/Slow Cooker/Stovetop)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil (instant pot version only)
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter (instant pot version only)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onions
- 1 medium Yukon or russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ tsp ground thyme
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 5-7 cups chicken broth
- 1 Lbs. dried green split peas, rinsed and drained
- 2 Lbs ham hocks (Or 1 lb. diced deli ham)
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- sour cream, optional garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Turn the pressure cooker on and press the Sauté button. Add the olive oil and butter once the screen says “hot”.
- Add the onion, potatoes, celery, bay leaves, and thyme and stir occasionally until the onions are slightly translucent.
- Stir in the carrots, garlic, ham and pepper. Cook for about a minute.
- Add 5 cups of broth and bring to a simmer (You’ll add the extra broth later if you like a thinner consistency).
- Stir in the rinsed split pea.
- Put the lid on the pot and lock. Make sure the steam release valve is in the sealed position.
- Press the cancel button. Press the Pressure Cook button and set to 20 minutes, high pressure.
- After cooking, let the soup NPR for 10 minutes before releasing the steam valve and removing the lid.
- Discard the bay leaves and any ham bones if you used them.
- Coarsely mash soup to desired consistency. Add up to two cups of chicken broth to thin.
- When cooled slightly, taste and add salt as needed.
- Transfer to soup bowls, top with sour cream (optional) and enjoy immediately.
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
- Add the onions, potatoes, celery, bay leaves, thyme, carrots, garlic, black pepper, salt, broth and split peas to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Add the ham and cover. Cook on Low for 5-6 hours.
- Remove the bay leaves and any ham bones.
- Coarsely mash soup to desired consistency. Add up to two cups of chicken broth to thin.
- When cooled slightly, taste and add salt as needed.
- Transfer to soup bowls, top with sour cream (optional) and enjoy immediately.
Stovetop Split Pea Soup
- In a large pot, add the bay leaves, broth, peas, and ham. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Place the lid on the pot and simmer for 1 hour.
- Add in the onions, potatoes, celery, carrots, pepper, garlic and thyme. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are soft.
- Remove the bay leaves and any ham bones.
- Coarsely mash soup to desired consistency. Add up to two cups of chicken broth to thin.
- When cooled slightly, taste and add salt as needed.
- Transfer to soup bowls, top with sour cream (optional) and enjoy immediately.