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Thick green split pea soup with diced ham, carrots, and celery in a rustic bowl.
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
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
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.
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