Description
This classic split pea soup recipe is a hearty and comforting dish made with dried split peas, vegetables, and a flavorful ham bone. Slow-simmered to perfection, it results in a thick, nourishing soup perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 ribs of celery, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Legumes & Meat
- 1 pound dried split peas, rinsed
- 1 meaty ham bone
- 1 cup diced ham (from ham bone or added separately)
Liquids & Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 to 4 cups water
Garnish
- Finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Add peas and seasonings: Stir in the rinsed split peas, dried thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, combining well.
- Add liquids and ham bone: Pour in the bay leaf, ham bone, low-sodium chicken broth, and 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas have broken down and the soup has thickened.
- Remove ham bone and add diced ham: Use tongs to remove the ham bone and place it on a cutting board. Dice the meat from the bone (about 1 cup) and add it back to the soup. Stir and simmer uncovered for 5 to 15 minutes until soup reaches your preferred thickness. Add an additional cup of water if the soup becomes too thick.
- Finish and serve: Discard the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley and additional black pepper if desired.
Notes
- You do not need to pre-soak the split peas before cooking.
- If using regular (not low-sodium) chicken broth, reduce added salt to prevent the soup from becoming too salty.
- The soup will continue to thicken as it cools, so avoid cooking it overly thick at the end.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the ham bone and ham, and use vegetable broth instead.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
