Split Pea and Ham Soup

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This easy, hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup is a comforting meal you can make any night of the week! With smokey ham, simmered split peas, bacon and veggies- this soup goes great topped with croutons.

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Easy and comforting Split Pea and Ham Soup

This hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup is a great winter warming soup for dinner on a cold night. It’s also a great way to use up a leftover ham bone from a holiday dinner. This soup recipe used smoked ham hock (or leftover ham bone) and bacon to build a flavorful and smokey broth.

Simmered low and slow for 2 hours, this soup basically cooks itself, and the longer cooking time allows for the flavors to really build, and lets the green split peas breakdown nicely.

Serve it up with some crusty bread or crispy croutons for a satisfying meal any night of the week. This recipe also makes a great meal prep candidate, as it almost tastes better the next day! The soup is actually heartier and thicker the next day!

What goes into the soup?

To make this Split Pea and Ham Soup, you will need:

• 4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces.
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
• 1 medium onion, finely diced.
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced.
• 2 medium celery ribs, finely diced.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• 2 garlic cloves, minced.
• 32 oz chicken broth. You can use regular, bone broth, or low sodium.
• 3 cups water.
• 1 smoked ham hock, or 1 leftover ham bone.
• 1 pound green split peas (about 2 cups), picked through and rinsed. You just wanted to sort them to make sure their isn’t any unwanted debris in the bag before cooking.
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme. You could also use the leaves of a sprig of fresh thyme, if you like.
• 2 bay leaves. I like to use dried bay leaf.

How to make Split Pea and Ham Soup

1. 1. Pick over the split peas, and rinse well in a colander, drain well. 
2. Add bacon to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until most of the fat is rendered, but not crisp. 
3. Add the olive oil, onion, celery and carrot to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and cook 5 minutes, until slightly softened. 
4. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, until just fragrant. 
5. Add the chicken stock, water, ham hock, green split peas, dried thyme and bay leaves. Bring heat to high and bring to boil. 
6. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 2 hours. 
7. Remove ham hock with tongs to a cutting board. Allow to cool slightly, then shred ham meat, and discard fat and bones. 
8. Add ham to pot and stir. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, and serve. 

Tips for perfect soup, every time

• Use good quality smoked ham hocks, or use a meaty leftover ham bone to build good flavor in the soup.
• Don’t skimp on the bacon. It adds a smokey depth of flavor to the soup.
• Be sure to taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper in the beginning and end of the cooking process.
• Let it cook! The longer cooking time allows the ham hock or ham bone to break down, releasing not only flavor, but the meat on the bones so you can shred it up and add it to the soup. Time also allow the green split peas to fully break down to the right consistency.

What kind of ham hock should I use?

I like to use a smoked ham hock for this recipe It cooks slow and low, and not only flavors the soup, but it also breaks down and is easily shredded. When shredding, remove any fat and bones, and discard. Add the shredded ham back to the pot with the soup.

This recipe also works great with ham steak or a leftover ham bone (or an extra meaty leftover ham bone).

Serving the soup

This soup is great with a side of crusty bread, or with (my personal favorite) some crispy croutons. These Air Fryer Croutons go great with the soup, and can be made out of any of your favorite breads! I love to use some Rye or Marble rye when making them to go along with Split Pea and Ham Soup.

Storing and reheating the soup

To store any leftover soup, cool it, and transfer to an airtight container. The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When reheating, you may want to add a bit of water or chicken stock to loosen it up. I prefer to reheat my Split Pea and Ham Soup on the stovetop, and add liquid as needed.

More great soup recipes

If you like this Split Pea and Ham Soup, you’ll love these hearty soups!

• Beef and Barley Soup
• Italian Wedding Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Escarole Soup with Barley and Parmesan
• Instant Pot Tuscan Sausage, Farro and White Bean Soup
• Pasta e Fagioli
• Italian Style Chicken Tortellini Soup

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