Split Pea Soup
intro
Thick, smoky, and deeply comforting, this hearty split pea soup is packed with tender vegetables and savory ham, perfect for warming cold winter days.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep all ingredients
First, sort through 450 grams of dried split peas to remove small stones or discolored peas, then rinse thoroughly under cold running water in a colander. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into uniform 1cm (1/2-inch) pieces, mince the garlic cloves, and set all prepped ingredients within easy reach of the stovetop.
Sauté aromatic vegetables
Heat 2 tablespoons (30ml) of extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant—do not let the garlic turn brown or burn, as it will make the soup taste bitter.
Build the soup base
Add the rinsed split peas, smoked ham hock, 1.5 liters of low-sodium chicken broth, dried thyme, bay leaf, and ground black pepper to the pot. Stir fully to combine all ingredients, then turn heat to medium-high to bring the liquid to a gentle rolling boil.
Simmer until tender
Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce heat to low to maintain a steady gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface every 2-3 seconds). Partially cover the pot with a lid, leaving a 2cm gap to prevent boil-over, and cook for 55 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to stop peas from sticking to the pot bottom, until split peas are fully tender and starting to break down.
Shred cooked ham
After 55 minutes of simmering, use tongs to carefully lift the ham hock from the soup and set it on a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, pull tender smoked meat away from bone, fat, and skin, shred into bite-sized pieces, and discard the inedible parts. Return shredded ham to the soup pot.
Season and finish
Stir the shredded ham into the soup, then taste and add kosher salt gradually, up to 1 teaspoon total, as needed (the smoked ham adds natural salt, so taste before adding the full amount). For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to blend 1/3 of the soup directly in the pot for 30 seconds, leaving some whole pea and vegetable pieces for texture. Let soup rest 5 minutes off heat before serving.
Tips
2.For a vegetarian version, omit the smoked ham hock, swap chicken broth for vegetable broth, and add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika to replicate the recipe’s signature deep, smoky flavor.
3.Leftover split pea soup stores well in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and freezes for up to 3 months for quick future meals.
OMG this split pea soup is a total game changer! I made it for our weekly family dinner earlier this week and even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. I threw in a handful of diced ham we had left over from Sunday brunch and it was chef’s kiss. SO easy too, I didn’t have to stand over the stove stirring nonstop like my old split pea recipe. 10/10 will be making this for our neighborhood potluck next month!
Perfect for Sunday meal prep! I made a big batch over the weekend, portioned it out into containers, and it’s been my go-to lunch all week. It reheats so well, no weird separation or mushy texture like other split pea soups I’ve tried. Only change I made was skipping the added salt because I used low-sodium vegetable broth, and it was still perfectly seasoned. Super easy, minimal cleanup – absolute win!
It’s finally soup weather here in the PNW and this hit the spot so hard. I’ve tried so many split pea soup recipes that come out watery or totally bland, but this one is thick, hearty, and packed with flavor without needing a million fancy ingredients. Served it with crusty sourdough for dipping and my roommate said it’s better than the soup at our favorite local diner. Will be on repeat all fall and winter!
Total beginner here – I’ve never made soup from scratch before and this was so straightforward! I was worried I’d mess it up but the steps were super easy to follow, and the 1 hour 15 minute cook time was totally accurate. Only thing is I think I simmered it a tiny bit too long on my finicky electric stove so it was extra thick, but honestly I loved it that way? Tasted exactly like the soup my grandma used to make when I was a kid. Wild that I pulled that off!
Made this for my office potluck earlier this week and people were coming up to me asking for the recipe all afternoon! I added a little sprig of fresh thyme on top of each serving for a fancy touch and it looked so pretty. The only thing I’ll note is my bag of split peas was a little older so they took about 10 extra minutes to get tender, but that’s on me for not checking my pantry first. Still turned out absolutely amazing.
As a vegetarian I was so happy to see this recipe works perfectly with vegetable broth! I skipped the ham add-ins that a lot of people mention, tossed in some extra celery and a pinch of smoked salt to get that deep, savory umami flavor, and it was so satisfying. Perfect cozy meal for a rainy day, I ate two big bowls while watching old movies the night I made it. 10/10, no notes.
This is my new go-to weeknight dinner! I got home from work, threw all the ingredients in the pot, and had a hot, filling meal on the table in just over an hour, no fancy prep needed. My kids dipped their grilled cheese sandwiches in it and said it’s the “best soup ever” – huge win for a tired dad. I used a bag of frozen mirepoix to cut down on chopping time and it worked like a total charm.