Split Pea Soup

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This split pea soup is what comfort food is all about. It’s the classic recipe you know and love with meaty chunks of ham – and it’s super easy to make at home!

A bowl of split pea soup
Photo: Gayle McLeod

Why You’ll Love This Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is a must-make recipe after you’ve cooked a ham for Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Green split peas are simmered with veggies and a meaty ham bone until they’re softened, for a perfectly chunky, veggie-heavy soup with deep pork flavoring. This has always been one of my mom’s favorite soups, and honestly, who can resist it? Here’s why I guarantee you’ll be going back for seconds!

  • It’s comforting and cozy: It’s thick, hearty texture and nutrient-packed goodness make it a nourishing cold-weather.
  • It has incredibly depth of flavor: The meaty hame bone really delivers on flavor, but if you don’t have a leftover ham bone I’ve got several tips and alternatives so you can still enjoy this split pea soup recipe today!
  • It’s budget-friendly: Split peas are an inexpensive ingredient and you’re reducing food waste by using the leftover ham bone – win win!
Ingredients for split pea soup on a table

Split Pea Soup Ingredients

First, let’s clarify the difference between split peas and green peas. Green peas are fresh and harvested when young and tender, then typically eaten as a vegetable. Split peas on the other hand are dried and mechanically split in half, and are commonly used in soups, stews, and curries (similar to lentils). So make sure to grab a bag of dried split peas rather than fresh peas.

  • Split Peas: You can use dried green split peas or yellow split peas in this recipe. Just not that green ones tend to be a bit sweeter and yellow ones tend to be a bit more earthy.
  • Fresh Vegetables: A simple mirepoix blend of onions, carrots, and celery are all you need. Just make sure to dice the all veggies about the same size.
  • Ham: I’m using a leftover meaty ham bone to create deep flavor in this soup. But if you don’t have a ham bone, see my notes in the next section below.
  • Herbs and Aromatics: A little dried thyme, a bay leaf, and salt and pepper are all you need!
  • Soup Base: The liquid base consists of half chicken broth and half water.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

A big pot of split pea soup

Ham Options for Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is typically made with a ham bone (which is how I’m cooking it today). But here are a few other options:

  • Ham Bone: If you don’t have a leftover bone from a holiday ham, you can purchase one directly from your butcher (or even Honey Baked Ham stores). Just don’t forget to tell them to leave enough meat around the bone for the soup.
  • Ham Hock: Also known as a pork knuckle, a ham hock is an easy way to impart that pork flavor into the soup while it’s simmering. You just won’t have the chunks of ham to chop and add back in. But you can always combine the ham hock with diced ham steaks, if you’d like chunky pieces in the soup.
  • Ham Steak: If you’re not using a ham bone, you can simply purchase packaged ham steaks to dice up, then add to the soup at the end. While this version isn’t quite as flavorful, it’s super easy.
  • Bacon or Pancetta: Instead of ham steaks, you can also cook bacon bits (about 4 strips) or pancetta with the veggies in the first step. Then save a small portion of either to garnish on top before serving. This will help to give that pork flavoring!
  • Vegetarian option: You can still make a delicious split pea soup by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

How To Make Split Pea Soup with Ham Bone

Cook the vegetables. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery over medium-high heat. Then add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

Cooking vegetables in a pot for split pea soup

Add the split peas, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together!

Adding split pea soup ingredients into a pot

Add the bay leaf, ham bone, chicken broth, and water. Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 50 to 60 minutes. Don’t forget to stir occasionally, until the soup is slightly thickened.

Adding a ham bone into a pot of split pea soup

Add the diced ham. Remove the ham bone to a cutting board and dice the remaining meat, then add it back to the soup. Stir and simmer uncovered for an additional 5 to 15 minutes, or until it’s thickened to your liking. Use tongs to remove the bay leaf, then serve it up!

Helpful tip: Note that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits. You can always add an extra cup of water or broth to thin it back down.

Making split pea soup in a pot

Storage Tips

  • To store for the week: Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Just don’t be alarmed by the texture since it will thicken up quite a bit! If you want to thin it down, add more water when reheating.
  • Freeze for later: I love finding containers of this soup in my freezer —especially on a chilly day! It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer in a freezer-safe container (like these Weck jars).
A few bowls of split pea soup

More Soup Recipes

I’ve got quite the list of soup recipes. But here are a few of my favorites I think you’ll instantly love.

Whenever you need a soup to cozy up with, this split pea soup will hit the spot. If you make it, let me know how it turned out in the comment box below!

Split pea soup in a white bowl.

Classic Split Pea Soup

4.97 from 129 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

This split pea soup is what comfort food is about! It's got a chunky, savory split pea base, and it's loaded with vegetables and ham. Watch the video below to see how this comes together!

Video

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 3 ribs of celery, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound dried split peas, rinsed
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 meaty ham bone (see tips and alternatives above)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 to 4 cups water
  • 1 cup diced ham (from ham bone or added separately)
  • finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions 

  • Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for another minute.
    Cooking veggies in a white pot for split pea soup
  • Add the split peas, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir together.
    Cooking split pea soup in a pot
  • Add the bay leaf, ham bone, chicken broth, and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened and the peas have broken down.
    Pouring broth into a pot of split pea soup
  • Using tongs, remove the ham bone to a cutting board and dice the remaining meat (about 1 cup of diced ham), then add it back to the soup. Stir and simmer uncovered for an additional 5 to 15 minutes, or until it's thickened to your liking. If it's too thick, you can add another cup of water. Note that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits, so it's best if it's not overly thick at this stage.
    A white pot of split pea soup
  • Discard the bay leaf, ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley and black pepper.
    A white bowl of split pea soup

Lisa’s Tips

  • You do not need to pre-soak the split peas for this recipe.
  • If you use regular rather than low-sodium chicken broth, you might need to reduce the added salt, so that the soup isn’t overly salty. 
  • The serving size is based on using 4 cups of water. 

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 782mg | Potassium: 1142mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5223IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Split Pea Soup, Split Pea Soup Recipe
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.97 from 129 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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284 Comments

  1. I made this recipe with a chopped up ham steak. While delicious, the soup never morphed into that nice creamy texture. Is that because I didn’t use a ham bone? I ended up scooping out split peas for my immersion blender. Disappointed.

    1. Hi Sima – the ham bone wouldn’t have made a difference on the texture of the split peas. But it does sound like you just needed to cook your split peas a little bit longer. Give that a try for next time!

  2. I sure do remember Anderson! Maybe I’m blind but I can’t find HOW MUCH chicken broth to add? 3 cups water but? Love your recipe.

  3. Hi Lisa . I used up my holiday bone for another soup. I do have some powdered ham broth packages a friend found. I am wondering how much I need to add to the water in this recipe with out making it too smoky and salty . Any ideas ?

  4. Have followed you For a few years and made lots of great recipes from you but I just had to comment about this split pea soup recipe. It is truly the best. Had a ham bone left from Christmas and hesitated to make the soup but the family is begging for more. Alas, all gone. Thank you Lisa for another terrific recipe. Thank you also for the recipe videos!!5 stars

    1. Hi Connie – that’s really personal preference on how much fat you’d like to remove. When I use ham hocks there’s usually not any extra fat on them. Enjoy the recipe!

  5. I recently discovered this recipe around the holidays and this is the second time in two weeks I’ve made it. It always turns out so flavorful and excellent. My friends and coworkers get their orders in early as it’s an annual thing. This time I used a Sugardale hickory smoked ham. I never add salt. I boil the ham bone (w leftover ham on it) for about 20 minutes to remove some of the salt in ham. I then take about a cup and a half of that water and add to the soup with broth and add ham bone etc. I also prefer yellow peas and doubled the batch this time. Yummy. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe and video.5 stars

  6. Yum! Yum! Oh so very delicious!! Thank you so much for this superb soup!! Ham and peas are the perfect combination for a tasty soup and this recipe is the best!!!5 stars

  7. Hello,
    I make this soup every year after Christmas. I use Honey Baked Ham and simmer it with every ingredient(s) that you had listed which have been my go to for years except for the thyme. I cook the peas until they are more of a paste. It turned out wonderful!
    Thanks!5 stars

  8. Lisa,
    This turned out so awesome! I only had leftover boneless spiral ham & couldn’t get a ham bone. But, this was so totally delicious. I added some fresh homemade croutons & my husband gobbled it up. This will definitely be on my permanent list.
    One of my favorite recipes of yours, and one I make at least once a month, is your stuffed peppers. I always make enough for leftovers, it’s that good!
    Thank you so much!5 stars

  9. Lisa, another winner. Made it tonight with the leftover ham bone! So easy, simple and absolutely delicious. Your recipes are the best!5 stars

  10. I have made this wonderful recipe a half dozen times. For one bag of green peas (14 oz ) I use 8 cups of chicken broth and a couple extra cups of water I get my ham bones from Honey Baked Ham for $7.50 and end up with an extra few breakfasts of ham with my eggs Your recipe is the best and the presentation on the video even better. Thanks
    John5 stars

    1. Happy you loved it! And no, I don’t have one yet with navy beans and ham, but I’ll add that to my to-do list for the future. :)

    2. If you make Navy Bean soup best to use smoked Ham Hocks. Most grocery stores carry them. Learned to make this from my mother and I’ve been making it for over 50 years. I tried making with ham a couple of times and was disappointed in flavor profile. Made with smoked Ham Hocks adds considerable more flavor.

  11. Could i use bacon to flavor the pea soup would i have to cook the bacon seperate or would i have to add the bacon raw

  12. Hi Lisa! Thank you for the recipe. It was super delicious and just what I expected. I did make it my own by adding some red, yellow and green bell peppers. I had them on hand. I did add a couple pinches oregano and some garlic powder. I also used my immersion blender just slightly at the end. Yummy!5 stars

  13. Hi Lisa Bryan. I noticed that above you put in substitutions in for ham, but for those who can’t eat ham, what kind of meat would you suggest?

    Thanks!!

    1. Hi Lubaba – ham is traditional to split pea soup. But if you can’t eat ham, I’d just leave it off entirely and go with the vegetarian version. Enjoy!

  14. My Honey Baked Ham Store sells frozen ham bones. I added two teaspoons of marjaron. Also I use the presliced miropoux from Traders Joes or Walmart. I use chicken stock. It is hardier! Then when it is all done I use my emulsion blender before I add back the ham. Really smooth!!!!5 stars

    1. Yes, it’s great to pick up those ham bones from the Honey Baked Ham Store. Love the other tweaks you made, Mike. Enjoy your tasty split pea soup!

  15. About the same as mine. My grandma was Swedish and split pea soup was served every Thursday with rye bread. Amazing! Thanks for sharing. As for Anderson’s I believe there is one location still open (Santa Nella) and the Buelton CA location is under renovation. I remember in the foyer they had a crock with cheese spread and bread. As a kid in the late 70’s I engorged myself on the cheese and my parents didn’t have to buy me a meal. 😂5 stars

  16. I made this last night and it was wonderful and so easy to make. I puréed 3/4 of it and left some of it chunky. Comfort food for those chilly fall evenings. Thank you Lisa ❤️.5 stars

  17. I tried your recipe and I just have to say it was absolutely amazing. I blended my ingredients though before adding in the meat, but it was divine! Thank you for this recipe.5 stars

  18. This soup is amazing! I never liked split pea soup growing up but as I’ve gotten older my palate has definitely changed! I’ve tried other split pea soups and this one is by far the best! I think it’s the combination of spices and veggies-I made it as is but without fresh herbs because I didn’t have any. I’ve tried a bunch of your other other recipes and they are gems too- I even have your cookbook 😀5 stars

    1. Hi Valerie – Thanks for leaving a review! Happy to hear you’re loving this split pea soup and the recipes in the cookbook :)

    2. Just made this! So easy and delicious !!! Freezes beautifully as well .. Perfect for Fall in anew England..5 stars