Split Pea Soup

The perfect cool weather dish, this homemade split pea soup is a nourishing, hearty, and flavor packed meal. Tender split peas are simmered with veggies, chicken stock, and a ham bone to yield a flavorful, deliciously comforting soup.

As the days come to an end quicker, and the weather is getting cooler and cooler, I find myself craving warm comfort foods. This split pea soup recipe hits the spot.

Let’s be honest, I long for the fall and winter to come – just to enjoy soup. I’m always trying to find ways to include bone broth in our daily lives, and soup is just an easy way. Not to mention that you can make a ton of it and then eat it for days on end. It’s the perfect leftover that just gets better with age, unlike some others… ya know, like, pizza.

With the baby coming here in the next few months, I love being able to double or triple recipes to pack away. Once it cools, I place half in the freezer for a quick and easy meal later. This also works really well with sourdough bread. Double the recipe, eat one loaf, freeze the other. 

A whole meal (super nourishing, as well) ready to go for whenever you need a quick dinner or lunch. And it’s 100 times better, cheaper, and healthier than takeout.

Top it with some homemade sourdough croutons! This adds a crunch and a yummy texture to this smooth pea and ham soup.

Tips:

• If you want to make this a little heartier, you could add a few red or gold potatoes.
• Fresh or dried herbs will work just fine. I prefer fresh when available.
• You do not have to soak split peas before cooking. You can if you’d like, but it’s not necessary.
• If you do not have a ham bone or shank, you could substitute it with a couple pieces of uncooked bacon.
• For a vegetarian version, use all vegetable broth instead of chicken stock and water, and skip the ham bone. It will have a different and milder flavor, but you’ll still find it yummy. You may want to add some more herbs, though, to boost the flavor.

Do split peas need to be soaked before cooking?

It is not necessary to soak split peas before cooking, although soaking does speed up the cooking time and can help get rid of gas.

Is Split Pea Soup healthy?

Yes! This recipe is packed with veggies, split peas, homemade bone broth (which is super good for you), and meat; it’s full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Always try to pick the best quality ingredients you can afford.

Split Pea Soup Ingredients

Olive oil – Avocado oil or butter would also work.

Garlic, celery, carrots, onions –  Also known as mirepoix, this provides the base flavor of the soup.

Chicken stock and water – Homemade chicken stock is always preferred, but you can also use store-bought.

Dried split peas – The star of the show, split peas are a delicious, hearty, and healthy ingredient packed full of fiber and nutrients.

Bay leaves and thyme – Add subtle tones to the soup.

Ham bone or ham shanks – This is leftover from a ham dinner and really packs a punch to the soup. Classic split pea soup is seasoned with a ham bone.

Salt and pepper – To taste.

Sourdough croutons – Optional, but a seriously delicious topping.

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Tools you may need:

Dutch oven

Instant Pot (for broth – optional)

Knife

Cutting board

How To Make Split Pea Soup

Heat olive oil in a cast iron dutch oven or soup pot over medium/high heat. 

Add onion, celery, and carrots; sauté for three minutes or until the veggies start to become translucent. This step adds so much flavor and shouldn’t be skipped.

Pour in chicken stock, water, split peas, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme.

Add the ham bone into the soup and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for about an hour, or until the peas are tender.

Remove the ham bone from the soup, and allow it to cool. 

Take the meat off the bone and add it back to the soup.

Remove bay leaves.

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve in bowls and top with homemade sourdough croutons.

To Store:

Store in the fridge for 5-7 days. Reheat and serve. This soup also freezes really well for up to 2 months. 

If you want to reheat it in the instant pot, you can even place a freezer safe ziplock bag in the stainless steel container, fill it up with soup, seal the bag (eliminating as much air as possible), and then freeze it in the Instant Pot container. This will freeze it to the shape of the Instant Pot, and when you are ready to reheat it, you can pop it out and place it in the instant pot to heat. You may need to add a little extra broth during reheating.

Find More Delicious Soup Recipes:

• Tomato Soup From Scratch
• Homemade Creamy Chicken And Gnocchi Soup
• Chicken Marsala Soup
• Sausage Sauerkraut Soup
• Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
• Hearty And Healthy Potato Soup Recipe
• Beef Stew
• Chicken Corn Chowder

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars!