Split pea soup has never been easier to make than it is now! This flavorful, hearty split pea soup is perfect to enjoy on a cold night in.
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A Cozy One Pot Recipe
Homemade soup is incredibly comforting, especially on cold nights, and Split Pea Soup is the coziest option (along with my Carrot Soup Recipe!). This flavorful green soup features root vegetables and ham, and it's easy to make in just one pot—perfect for the whole family!
Why You'll Love This
A big bowl of Split Pea Soup is the perfect comfort food, especially when you're sick or cold, and offers several health benefits.
- Boosts Immunity: Packed with root vegetables and herbs that help fight viruses.
- Heart Health: Split peas can reduce plaque in blood vessels and lower cholesterol, potentially preventing cardiovascular disease.
- Gut Health: High in soluble fibers, it's gentle on the digestive system, making it great for those with IBS.
This easy, delicious recipe is also gluten-free and dairy-free!
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Ingredients
Here is everything you will need for this soup!
- Butter: Adds richness and helps sauté vegetables.
- Cooked ham: Provides smoky, savory flavor and texture.
- Olive oil: Used to sauté vegetables, adding a light flavor.
- White onion: Adds sweetness and aromatic depth.
- Celery: Contributes freshness and subtle earthy flavor.
- Carrots: Add natural sweetness and color.
- Garlic: Enhances flavor with aromatic pungency.
- Pepper: Adds warmth and mild heat.
- Salt: Balances and enhances flavors.
- White wine: Adds acidity and depth (optional).
- Frozen peas: Provide sweetness and texture.
- Chicken broth: Forms the savory liquid base.
- Ham bone: Infuses the soup with smoky, meaty richness.
- Thyme: Adds fresh, herbal flavor.
- Bay leaves: Provide subtle, aromatic depth.
- Parmesan: Adds umami and creaminess when served.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements!
Substitutions & Variations
If you're missing ingredients or want to make tweaks, these tips can help adjust the recipe!
- Flavor Boost: If you would like, adding bacon can increase the savory factors to this soup!
Note: This recipe hasn't been tested with substitutions, so changes may affect the results.
Equipment
You'll just need a large pot or Dutch oven and an immersion blender; the rest are basic kitchen tools.
Instructions
Start by crisping diced ham in butter in a large pot or Dutch oven to release its rich fat and enhance the soup's flavor.
Using homemade holiday ham can elevate the flavor of the split pea soup. I always bake a ham on Christmas Day and use the leftovers for dishes like this one, providing an extra flavor boost compared to store-bought ham.
Next, place the ham on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess grease. Add olive oil to the pot and sauté diced onion, celery, and carrots (mirepoix), using the fat from the butter and ham for flavor.
Sauté the mirepoix for 5 minutes until softened, then season with salt and pepper; add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, ensuring it doesn't burn.
An Optional, But Helpful Step
After cooking the mirepoix and garlic, deglaze the pot by adding white wine to loosen the caramelized bits for extra flavor. While optional, using white wine enhances the dish by softening the vegetables and scraping up those flavorful bits. If you prefer not to use wine, a small amount of lukewarm chicken or vegetable broth works well to achieve the same effect, adding richness to the soup.
Making it a Split Pea Soup
Once the vegetables are softened and the pot deglazed, add frozen peas for a sweeter flavor, then stir in chicken broth. Add the ham bone, bring to a boil, then simmer to release its flavor. If you don’t have a ham bone, bacon or pancetta work well. Tie the thyme and bay leaves with string for easy removal, then simmer the soup on low for an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the ham bone, thyme, and bay leaves before serving.
The Final Step
After simmering for an hour, purée a fourth of the soup and add it back to thicken and cream the texture. To purée, remove a fourth cup to blend, or use an immersion blender for a mess-free option! For a thicker soup, purée more; for a lighter consistency, skip this step. Stir in the crispy ham and serve with grated parmesan, adding the ham last to keep it chunky.
Serving Suggestions
In conclusion, this split pea soup is perfect for a cold day, served family-style with optional garnishes and cheese for customization.
Expert Tips
Making it Vegan
The base of Split Pea Soup is a mirepoix—diced onions, carrots, and celery—that creates a flavorful foundation. This soup can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the ham bone and meat.
To replace the richness from the ham bone, add half a cup of coconut milk for a touch of sweetness, balancing it with extra paprika, thyme, and pepper. For garnish, sauté sliced white mushrooms in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and pepper to add great texture and complementary flavors to the soup.
Storage
Store Split Pea Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or freeze it for up to four months. This way, you’ll always have a warm, delicious soup ready for cold or rainy days!
FAQ
For an extra fun twist, serve the soup in a gluten-free bread bowl using a rustic loaf from Schar!
Not to worry! It's really a bonus to make the soup more flavorful. You will be just fine without one!
Pairings
While Split Pea Soup is delicious on its own, pairing it with a dip is essential. Here are some favorites:
Split Pea Soup
Course: Recipes, Savory Dishes, Soups, SidesDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes1
hour15
minutesThis easy, one pot Split Pea Soup is packed with delicious flavor that makes it the perfect hearty recipe for a cold night in!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cooked ham, diced into ¼" cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, diced
4 celery ribs, diced (2 cups)
4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped (2 cups)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons salt
3-4 tablespoons dry white wine (optional)
4 cups peas, frozen
6 cups chicken broth
1 ham bone
4-5 fresh thyme sprigs, plus more for serving
2 bay leaves
Grated parmesan, for serving
Directions
- First crisp up the ham by adding the butter to a large pot or Dutch Oven. Once the butter has melted, add the diced ham. You only need to cook the ham for a few minutes on medium-high heat. Once slightly crispy, use a spatula to remove the ham and set on a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the olive oil to the pot over medium heat. then add the diced onion, celery and carrots to the pot.
- Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes until the vegetables have cooked down. Once slightly soft, season with salt and pepper.
- Next, add the garlic and cook down for two minutes.
- Optional: Deglaze the pot with white wine. Use a spatula to scrape any burnt bits from the pot. Stir until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Then, add the frozen peas. stir to incorporate with the other vegetables before pouring in the chicken broth.
- Add the ham bone, then bring to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer, adding the thyme and bay leaves.
- Cover for one hour and simmer on low head. Occasionally stir (every 15-20min)
- After the allotted time, uncover and remove the ham bone, thyme and bay leaves.
- Purée about ¼ of the soup and add back to the pot. Stir in the crispy ham and serve with grated parmesan cheese & enjoy!
Notes
- Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator up to five days.
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