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Split Pea Soup Recipe

by Katerina

4.70 from 23 votes

Jun 09, 2021, Updated Sep 26, 2024

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This easy Split Pea Soup with ham hocks is a hearty and delicious homemade soup prepared with tender split peas, veggies, and smoked ham. Serve this hearty soup with a side of crusty bread or buttery biscuits to soak up all the goodness.

I love classic recipes! The tried-and-true favorites are often fun and easy to master, and they’re so rewarding to serve up to a hungry tribe. This split pea soup is definitely one of those recipes, thanks to its delicate but smoky flavor and delicious hearty texture.

Why I Love This Split Pea Soup Recipe

• Classic Comfort: This easy split pea soup is a time-honored recipe that’s enjoyable to make and serve.
• Unique Flavor: The ham hock offers a smoky taste with the natural sweetness of split peas.
• Hearty Texture: Split pea soup has a hearty yet light texture, with the peas providing a natural thickness.
• Budget-Friendly: Made with affordable split peas, it’s a nutritious and economical meal option.

Ingredients For Split Pea Soup

• Butter & Olive Oil: I use a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil for sautéing.
• Celery: You’ll need three celery stalks, diced.
• Carrots: Along with the celery, dice up two small carrots.
• Onion: For the onion, you can go with any type, but I usually use yellow onion.
• Garlic: Mince or press three cloves of fresh garlic.
• Broth: Have ready 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. If you’d like to substitute, this recipe also works well with vegetable broth or homemade bone broth.
• Water: You’ll need two cups of water in addition to the broth.
• Split Peas: You can use green or yellow dried split peas; green is most common. Either way, 16 ounces are needed for this recipe.
• Bay Leaves: Two medium bay leaves give a classic homemade flavor.
• Dried Thyme & Oregano: Use one teaspoon of each.
• Salt & Pepper: To taste.
• Ham: I recommend ham hocks or a meaty ham bone.

How to Make Split Pea Soup

1. Cook Veggies: In a large pot, melt the butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped celery, carrots, and onions for 4 minutes, then add garlic.
2. Add Ingredients: Stir in the chicken broth, water, split peas, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and ham bone. Caution: go light on salt, as the ham is salty.
3. Cook: Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 1 hour and 20 minutes, checking at the one-hour mark for doneness.
4. Chop Ham: Remove the ham bone carefully (avoid splatters), let cool, then shred or chop the ham meat, discarding bones or skin.
5. Finish Soup: Return the ham to the soup, cook for 1 minute, and adjust seasoning if needed. If too salty, add water to dilute it. Ladle the split pea soup into bowls and serve it garnished with parsley.

What To Serve With Soup

This walnut chicken salad and a simple grilled cheese are perfect with a bowl of split pea soup, but you could also go with a Reuben sandwich. There’s nothing like homemade cornbread for a cozy side or this quick naan to sop up all that soupy goodness. But also, soft, fresh-baked pretzel bites make this meal a super-special treat!

For dessert, try a classic apple crumble or fudgy brownies to end the meal on a sweet note. And to keep things cozy, serve it all with a warm cup of apple cider!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• To store leftovers, place the soup in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 4 months.
• To reheat it, place the desired amount into a saucepan and cook over medium heat until piping hot, stirring frequently.

More Soup Recipes to Try

• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Easy Lentil Soup
• Creamy Mushroom Soup
• Creamy Crack Chicken Soup
• Ham Sweet Potato Soup
• Turkey Noodle Soup

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4.70 from 23 votes

Split Pea Soup Recipe

by Katerina | Diethood

Smoky, hearty, and incredibly comforting, this easy Split Pea Soup with ham is a meal you'll want to enjoy on repeat!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 3 celery stalks, diced
• ▢ 2 carrots, diced
• ▢ 1 small yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 16 ounces dried split peas
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• ▢ 1½ pounds smoked ham hocks, or use a meaty ham bone
• ▢ chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

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Instructions 

• Heat olive oil and melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
• Add chopped celery, carrots, and onions; cook for 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in chicken broth and water.
• Stir in split peas, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Don’t use too much salt because the ham hocks are already salty.
• Add the ham hocks to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. The soup is ready when the peas are soft. Start checking it for doneness around the 55-minute mark.
• Remove ham from soup and let rest for several minutes, or until cooled enough to handle. Then, shred or chop up the meat into smaller pieces. Discard bones and skin.
• Add chopped ham back into the soup. Cook for a minute.
• Remove from heat. Taste the soup for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
• Ladle the split pea soup into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Notes

• Ham Alternatives: If you don’t have a ham bone, you could use diced ham or even smoked sausage for a different twist on flavor.
• Adjusting Consistency: If the soup is too thick for your liking, you can add more broth or water to reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a little longer.
• Vegetarian Version: You can make a vegetarian version by omitting the ham and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Spice It Up: Feel free to add more herbs or spices to taste, such as a pinch of cayenne for heat or some fresh rosemary for depth.
• Avoid Over-Salting: Since the ham (especially if cured or smoked) adds saltiness, taste as you go, adding salt gradually as needed.
• Storing and Reheating: This soup freezes well. Store in airtight containers for up to three months. Reheat on the stove, adding a bit of water or broth if it’s too thick after freezing.
• Slow Cooker Option: If you prefer, you can make this soup in a slow cooker, excluding the 2 cups of water, and adjust the cooking time to 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 1086mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2754IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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