Easy Split Pea Soup
- PREP 15min
- COOK 70min
- TOTAL 1hrs 25min
This split pea soup recipe is absolutely delicious and unbelievably comforting. It’s incredibly easy to make with simple ingredients like dried split peas, carrots, celery, onions, and ham. We love the ham in this soup, but you can easily adapt it to be vegetarian (details for this are in the tips below).
You Will Need
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces (340g) ham steak, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups chopped onions, 1 large
1 cup chopped carrots, 2 medium
1 cup chopped celery, 3 ribs
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound (450g) green split peas (dried)
2 bay leaves
1 bundle fresh thyme
1/3 cup (78ml) white wine or dry sherry
10 cups (2.4L) low sodium chicken stock or veggie broth
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
6 tablespoons sour cream for serving
2 green onions, thinly sliced for serving
Directions
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot, like a Dutch oven, over medium heat. Add the ham and cook for a few minutes, browning slightly (but don’t dry it out). Remove the ham and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Stir in the split peas, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and stir to lift anything stuck to the bottom of the pot.
When the wine evaporates, pour in the chicken stock. Season with some salt (taste to see if you need it – I usually add 1/4 teaspoon or so).
Bring to a low simmer, adjusting the heat as needed. Cook covered until the split peas are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Stir the pot occasionally as it cooks.
As the soup simmers, prepare the ham. Place the ham into a blender, working in batches if needed. Pulse until chopped/shredded. Reserve in an airtight container in the fridge until serving.
When the split peas are tender, remove the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Add the parsley and mustard, then use an immersion blender to blend the soup until creamy. (You can also use a stand blender, but you will need to work in batches.)
When ready to serve, reheat the ham, place a few spoonfuls of the ham at the bottom of the bowl. Pour over the soup and garnish with sour cream, sliced green onions, and a little more ham.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Reheating the ham: Place the ham on a microwave-safe plate. Cover the plate with a damp paper towel to help retain moisture. Microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds or until heated through. Or, quickly warm in a skillet with a couple of teaspoons of water.
- Bone-in ham: If you have a ham bone, add it to the soup as it simmers, and then remove before blending.
- Storing: Transfer the soup to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Vegetarian adaptations: Remove the ham. There are no other necessary changes. For vegan soup, remove the ham and sour cream.
- Wine: I love the pop of flavor wine adds to this soup, but if you prefer this without wine, feel free to leave it out. Deglaze the pot with a splash of stock and then continue with the remaining recipe steps.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.