Split Pea Soup Recipe: Hearty One-Pot Ham Soup

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 85 minutes | Additional: 0 minutes | Total: 100 minutes | Servings: 8 | Yield: About 12 cups | Difficulty: Easy | Cuisine: American | Category: Soup, Dinner

Intro

Split pea soup turns a bag of dried peas and a little cooked ham into a thick, savory dinner. Carrots and celery add sweetness and texture, while the peas soften into the broth on their own. This stovetop version needs no soaking and no blender. Allow about 1 hour 40 minutes overall, with a little flexibility if your peas are older.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Dried split peas naturally thicken the soup without cream or flour.

Diced fully cooked ham gives smoky flavor without handling a ham bone.

A large pot makes eight servings and freezes well in lunch-size portions.

Recipe Card

Hannah Brooks

Split Pea Soup

This split pea soup simmers dried green split peas with carrots, celery, thyme, and fully cooked ham. No soaking or blender is needed for its thick, rustic texture.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings (about 12 cups total)

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Calories: 310

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups yellow onion diced
• 1 cup carrots diced
• 1 cup celery diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound dried green split peas sorted and rinsed
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups fully cooked ham diced, about 10 ounces
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Equipment

• 1 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot
• 1 Fine-mesh strainer

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the yellow onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring, until softened.
3. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Stir in the dried green split peas, low-sodium chicken broth, water, dried thyme, bay leaf, and ground black pepper.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for 60 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the fully cooked ham and fine salt.
7. Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes more, stirring frequently, until the dried green split peas break down and have no chalky center. Add hot water 1/4 cup at a time if the soup becomes too thick before the peas soften.
8. Remove and discard the bay leaf before dividing the soup among 8 bowls.

Notes

Older peas can take longer than the stated cooking range; continue simmering until fully soft. No soaking required. Estimated nutrition per one-eighth of the recipe: about 310 calories, 23 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 15 g fiber. Sodium varies widely with ham and broth. Yield is approximate.

Split Pea Soup Recipe Tips

Sort through the dry peas for small stones or damaged pieces before rinsing them in a fine-mesh strainer.

Keep the lid slightly ajar and the simmer gentle. The goal is small bubbles, enough evaporation for a thick soup, and no scorching.

Test several peas before serving. They should squash easily against the side of the pot with no firm, chalky center.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not assume a fixed timer guarantees tender peas. Age and storage conditions affect how long dried legumes take to soften.

Do not wait until the end to stir. As the peas break down, the bottom of the pot becomes more likely to stick.

Do not add tomatoes, lemon juice, or vinegar while the peas are still firm. Acidic ingredients can slow softening.

Variations

For vegetarian split pea soup, omit the ham, use vegetable broth, and add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika with the garlic.

Yellow split peas can replace green split peas. The finished color and flavor will differ, and the tenderness cue matters more than the clock.

For a smoother soup, remove the bay leaf and blend a few ladles of the pea base before returning them to the pot. Add the diced ham afterward so it keeps its texture.

What to Serve With It

Serve with toasted bread for dipping, or add crisp Parmesan potato stacks for a contrasting texture. For a soup-and-sandwich dinner, offer half portions of garlic butter chicken wraps. If you want a cool, crunchy side, the Italian grinder chopped salad works in a small serving. Browse the recipe index for other pairings.

Storage

Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and use within 3 to 4 days. See USDA leftover-storage guidance. Freeze in meal-size portions for up to 3 months for best quality. The soup will become noticeably thicker in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Thaw frozen portions overnight in the refrigerator. Add a splash of water or broth and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Bring the soup to a boil while stirring, and check that it reaches 165°F throughout. Keep adding small splashes of liquid until it ladles easily.

Make Ahead

Dice the vegetables up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them. The complete soup can be cooked 1 to 2 days before serving. Chill it promptly in shallow containers rather than leaving the large pot on the stove to cool.

FAQs

Do split peas need soaking before soup?

No. Split peas are small enough to cook without an overnight soak. Sort and rinse them first, then simmer until fully tender.

Why are my split peas still hard?

Old peas, a simmer that is too low, or acidic ingredients can extend cooking. Keep enough liquid in the pot and continue simmering until they soften. Very old peas may never soften well.

Why does split pea soup thicken overnight?

The cooked peas continue absorbing liquid as they cool. Add water or broth during reheating to restore a spoonable texture.

Can I make split pea soup without a ham bone?

Yes. This recipe uses diced fully cooked ham, so a bone is not required. Add it near the end to keep the pieces from becoming dry.