Split Pea and Ham Soup (Printable Version)

Rich, creamy comfort in a bowl featuring tender split peas and smoky ham, simmered slowly with aromatic vegetables for deep, satisfying flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 meaty ham bone or 2 cups diced cooked ham

→ Legumes

02 - 1 pound dried split peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 bay leaf

→ Liquids

08 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 2 cups water

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Salt to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Heat a splash of oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, cooking while stirring for 5-6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add split peas, ham bone or diced ham, bay leaf, thyme, broth, and water. Stir thoroughly to combine.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove lid and continue simmering for 20-30 minutes until peas are completely tender and soup reaches desired thickness.
06 - Discard bay leaf and remove ham bone. If using a ham bone, pick off any meat, chop it, and return to the soup.
07 - Season with black pepper and salt to taste. For creamier texture, partially mash the peas or use an immersion blender for smooth consistency.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms a leftover ham bone into something that tastes like you've been cooking all day, even though most of the work happens while you're doing something else.
  • The soup gets thicker and creamier as it sits, so it's almost better the next day, which means you can make it whenever and eat like royalty whenever you want.
  • Split peas break down into this natural, velvety texture without any cream or butter—just time and heat doing the real work.
02 -
  • Undersalting at the beginning is intentional—the ham bone already brings saltiness, and you want to taste what you're actually building before you commit, so season at the end when the flavors have fully developed.
  • The peas will keep softening even after you turn off the heat, so if they look just barely tender, that's actually perfect; continuing to cook them too much turns them into something that tastes almost mushy instead of creamy.
  • This soup transforms overnight—don't judge it harshly right after you make it because it gets better as the flavors settle and marry together, which is part of the magic and also why it freezes beautifully.
03 -
  • Save your ham bones in the freezer—they last months and become ingredients for future soups, which means cooking something incredible has already started before you even begin.
  • Use low-sodium broth and add your own salt at the end rather than using regular broth; this gives you control and prevents the soup from becoming too salty as it reduces and concentrates.
  • If the soup is too thin after cooking, turn the heat back up and simmer uncovered for another ten minutes, which lets more water evaporate and concentrates all the flavors into something thicker and deeper.
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