Hearty Split Pea Soup is made with a meaty hambone, generous carrots, onions, and celery, yielding a flavorful broth. It is easy to make on the stovetop, but I have added a slow cooker and instant pot option.
Split Pea Soup
It is soup weather, and Split Pea is one of my personal favorites. It's so easy to make, and what better time to use the hambone leftover from the holidays? There is so much flavor from the bone and meat I always save it for later when I cook beans or collards.
This soup recipe is all about going back to my childhood using old fashioned ingredients you have in your kitchen.
The split peas are cheap, and you already have your hambone. The carrots and celery are also inexpensive, a delicious humble soup.
I use fresh thyme, a couple of bay leaves, chicken stock, or vegetable stock to elevate the flavor.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE? TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR Split PEA SOUP
Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for the Split Pea Soup and similar recipe ideas you can have.
Or you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE SPLIT PEA SOUP
Dutch oven. When cooking the split pea soup on the stovetop, a 4.5 quart is preferred. With the time needed to cook the soup, a heavy bottom soup pot is necessary.
Slow cooker. When cooking the split pea soup in a crockpot, a 4-6 quart crockpot is preferred.
Instant Pot. When cooking the split pea soup in an instant pot, use the one you prefer or have in your kitchen.
Soup Ladle. A soup ladle is needed to transfer the soup to a serving bowl.
Yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. These vegetables add color and build the flavors of the other ingredients.
Chicken stock and water. The combination of the chicken stock and water gives a balance of flavor to the split peas.
Dried Split peas. No soaking is necessary, but you need to pick out any tiny clumps of dirt used to keep the peas from getting too much moisture and then rinse them well.
Fresh bay leaves, fresh thyme, and chopped fresh parsley. Dried or fresh herbs will work well.
Hambone. This soup is a great dish to use as a leftover hambone from a holiday meal or a family Sunday lunch. If you do not have a hambone, any smoked meat will do.
Salt and Pepper. It is best to wait until the soup is finished to add salt. Typically ham is very salty, but different cuts of ham are not.
Slow cooker. When cooking the split pea soup in a crockpot, a 4-6 quart crockpot is preferred.
Instant Pot. When cooking the split pea soup in an instant pot, use the one you prefer or have in your kitchen.
Soup Ladle. A soup ladle is needed to transfer the soup to a serving bowl.
Yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. These vegetables add color and build the flavors of the other ingredients.
Chicken stock and water. The combination of the chicken stock and water gives a balance of flavor to the split peas.
Dried Split peas. No soaking is necessary, but you need to pick out any tiny clumps of dirt used to keep the peas from getting too much moisture and then rinse them well.
Fresh bay leaves, fresh thyme, and chopped fresh parsley. Dried or fresh herbs will work well.
Hambone. This soup is a great dish to use as a leftover hambone from a holiday meal or a family Sunday lunch. If you do not have a hambone, any smoked meat will do.
Salt and Pepper. It is best to wait until the soup is finished to add salt. Typically ham is very salty, but different cuts of ham are not.
HOW TO MAKE SPLIT PEA SOUP ON THE STOVETOP
In a Dutch oven over medium high heat, add onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and garlic.
Add in the rinsed dried split peas, water, and chicken stock. Add in the hambone. Nestle the hambone down in and around the vegetables.
Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 90 minutes to 2 hours or until the peas have softened and the desired thickness is acquired, stirring occasionally.
Remove the hambone and shred the meat. Add it back to the soup.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves.
Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.
Add in the rinsed dried split peas, water, and chicken stock. Add in the hambone. Nestle the hambone down in and around the vegetables.
Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 90 minutes to 2 hours or until the peas have softened and the desired thickness is acquired, stirring occasionally.
Remove the hambone and shred the meat. Add it back to the soup.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves.
Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.
TIPS AND TIDBITS FOR MAKING THE MOST DELICIOUS SPLIT PEA SOUP
SPLIT PEAS. Split peas are field peas that are dried, peeled, and split in half for easy cooking. There is a green and yellow variety. The green is somewhat sweeter, and the yellow is milder in flavor. As they cook, they thicken, creating a creamy texture. It is essential to buy fresh, dried split peas. Even though they are dried, they will go stale. It is important to remember that if the split peas are not softened within 1 and 1/2 hours of cooking, they are stale and will not soften.
SOAKING THE SPLIT PEAS. Split peas are small enough, so soaking them is unnecessary before cooking. The long cooking time for the soup is more than enough time for the split peas to soften as you want. Important to rinse the split peas before adding them to the soup.
SAUTEING VEGETABLES. Since the vegetables cook simultaneously as the split peas, there is no need to saute the vegetables before adding the chicken stock and hambone.
ANY NUTRITIONAL VALUE. Split peas are low in fat and high in fiber and protein. They are a great source of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium.
LEFTOVERS. If you have leftovers, which are better the next day, place the soup in the refrigerator for up to a week. The soup will thicken more as it sits. When reheating, add chicken stock to thin as needed. Make sure to start the heat on a low setting to avoid scorching the soup in the bottom of the pot. Using the microwave for individual servings will avoid this.
FREEZING. The soup freezes well. Let the soup completely cool and place it in an air tight container or a freezer safe freezer bag. The soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When reheating, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat the next day.
HOW TO MAKE SPLIT PEA SOUP IN A SLOW COOKER
Reduce water to 2 cups. (Not as much liquid will evaporate in the crockpot with a lid.)
Add the meaty hambone to a 4-6 quart crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients except for the parsley to the crockpot and cook for 7-8 hours on low.
Remove any meat still left on the hambone.
Shred the large pieces and return to the soup.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.
HOW TO MAKE SPLIT PEA SOUP IN AN INSTANT POT
Add celery, onions, garlic, split peas, carrots, thyme, bay leaves, and season with black pepper to the instant pot. Pour chicken stock and 2 cups of water (instead of the 4 cups listed). Add the hambone.
Cover and set it to manual mode, then set it for 15 minutes.
Once the time is up, allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then quickly release any manually.
Shred any meat left on the hambone and return to the soup. Season with salt to taste.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.
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