Split pea soup cooked from scratch, just like mom used to! Tender split peas, savory ham, and fresh veggies are the main ingredients in this filling, protein-rich soup. It is simple to prepare and ideal for cold weather.
Recipe for Split Pea Soup
What ingredients make the best split pea soup then? Of course, the first step is to make it from scratch.
Why don’t we throw away the can of condensed split pea soup? Because the version that has been simmering for a very long period is far better!
How to Make a Split Pea Soup Video?
Second, the secret ingredient that gives this soup its distinctive flavor is a leftover, juicy ham bone. It also makes good use of the ham bone, which enhances the flavor of the dish. Much better than simply throwing it away.
And starting with a full bag of dry split peas produces a thick, flavorful soup with the ideal texture and viscosity.
The key to this recipe’s success is reverting to the simple, traditional ingredients. This and other traditional basic meals have a certain pleasant quality.
The foods that bring back fond recollections of our childhood are the ones that will stick with us throughout life, almost as if they were sending us positive vibes through happy memories.
When I was younger and recovering from a severe cold or another illness, I frequently requested my mother to cook split pea soup for me. It is simply a traditional comfort dish.
Ingredients for split pea soup:
- Olive oil – this is used to saute the vegetables, butter can be substituted.
- Yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic – these vegetables built up the background flavors of the soup. They add some nice color too.
- Chicken broth and water – I like to use half chicken broth and half water (vs. all broth) so it doesn’t overpower the delicate flavor of the peas.
- Dried split peas – it’s a common misconception to believe split peas need to be soaked before cooking, no soaking is necessary. But you do want to pick over (check for pebbles and debris) and rinse and drain them.
- Bay leaves, thyme, and parsley – fresh or dry herbs work well here.
- Salt and pepper – I like to wait to add the majority of salt until the ham has cooked with the soup, some hams tend to be very salty while others not as much so if you wait you won’t over-salt the soup.
- Hambone – this soup is such a great use for a leftover meaty ham bone from a Sunday ham roast or even a spiral-sliced holiday ham. If you don’t have one ham shanks will work too.
How Can Split Pea Soup Be Made?
- Vegetables can be sautéed by heating olive oil in a big pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- ham and split peas are added to the soup base in the pot.
- Pour in water and chicken broth before adding the peas and herbs. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and split peas. To taste, add a little salt and pepper to the food.
- Place the ham bone into the soup mixture before adding the ham. the mixture to a boil then turns it down to a simmer. For approximately an hour, until the peas and ham are soft, cover the pot and simmer while stirring regularly.
- Remove the ham from the soup, give it a 10-minute rest, and then cut it up. Then, cover the dish.
- Add carrots to the broth and continue to simmer while doing so. For another 30 minutes, boil the soup with the cover on, stirring regularly, until the peas are mostly broken down.
- Return the ham by stirring it into the broth and adding extra salt if necessary. If preferred, sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
Advice and Alternatives:
- When adding the diced carrot to the soup, you can optionally add a couple of yellow or red potatoes to make it even heartier.
- You can simmer the soup uncovered for the last 20 to 30 minutes of simmering if you notice that it isn’t thickening up as you’d like.
- Keep in mind that soup will thicken as it cools and rests. It can be thinned out with additional water the next day, if necessary.
- Ham that has been sliced into pieces.
How Much Time Does It Last?
In the refrigerator, leftovers should last for about 3 days; the soup will thicken as it sits (and even more so when cold, once reheated it does thin back out a bit). Add additional water to thin as needed.
Is It Freezable?
The soup does freeze well, yes.
- The soup should be allowed to cool before being frozen for about three months in sealed containers.
- Remember that the soup will expand as it freezes; thus, leave a gap of about 3/4 inches between the soup and the container cover.
- Reheat the next day after defrosting in the refrigerator overnight.
How Do You Cook It in a Crockpot?
cut the water down to 2 cups (not as much liquid will evaporate from the slow cooker as it will from a pot).
In a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine all the ingredients (apart from the parsley) and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low heat.
Return the ham to the soup after shredding or dicing it into pieces.
How is it prepared in an instant pot?
- Select “saute” on the Instant Pot. Add oil, celery, and onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 more minute. On the Instant Pot, click “cancel.”
- Add the split peas, carrots, thyme, bay leaves, broth, 2 cups water (instead of the 4 cups specified), salt, and pepper. the ham bone
- Set the timer to 15 minutes, cover it, and select “manual” mode.
- Once the allotted time has passed, allow any remaining pressure to naturally dissipate for 15 minutes before quick-releasing it.
- Slice the ham from the bone, add the pieces back to the broth, and season with salt to taste.
- A picture of two bowls of homemade split pea soup is displayed above.
What to Put on the Side of Split Pea Soup?
- 1-hour rolls for dinner
- Biscuits
- Cornbread
- Using no kneading
Other Traditional Soup Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
- Cheese soup with broccoli
- Soup with chicken noodles
- Bean and Ham Soup
- Hashbrown Soup
- Compostable soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
- 1 1/4 cups chopped celery (about 3 ribs)
- 1 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)
- 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 (16 oz) bag of dried split peas, picked over and rinsed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 lb meaty ham bone or ham shanks
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Over medium-high heat, warm up the olive oil in a big pot. Add the celery and onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Add water and chicken broth. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and split peas.
To taste, season with a little salt and pepper (I like to wait to add more salt until the end to see how salty the ham has made the soup). - Introduce the ham bone to the soup mixture. the mixture to a boil then turns it down to low heat. For 60 to 80 minutes, or until the peas and ham are soft, cover the pot and boil it while stirring regularly.
- Remove the ham from the soup, give it 10 minutes to rest, then cut the meat into pieces with a knife or a chopper.
- In the interim, add soup carrots. For a further 30 minutes**, boil the soup with the cover on, stirring periodically, until the peas are mostly broken down.
- Add extra salt if necessary after stirring the ham into the broth. If preferred, sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- When adding the diced carrot to the soup, you can optionally add a couple of yellow or red potatoes to make it even heartier.
- **Let the soup simmer uncovered for the final 30 minutes if you see that the thickening isn’t coming out the way you’d like it to.
- Keep in mind that soup will thicken as it sits and slightly cools. More water can be added to thin it out if necessary.
ROCKWELL METHOD
- cut the water down to 2 cups (not as much liquid will evaporate from the slow cooker as it will from a pot).
- In a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine all the ingredients (apart from the parsley) and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low heat.
- Return the ham to the soup after shredding or dicing it into pieces.
DAILY POT METHOD
- Select “saute” on the Instant Pot. Add oil, celery, and onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 more minute. On the Instant Pot, click “cancel.”
- Add the split peas, carrots, thyme, bay leaves, broth, and 2 cups of water (instead of the 4 cups specified). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. the ham bone
- Set the timer to 15 minutes, cover it, and select “manual” mode.
- Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes after the allotted time has passed, then quickly release any leftover pressure.
- Bring back the soup after shredding the ham from the bone.