EASY SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH HAM

Read Time: 5 minutes
by Karen
20 comments

During the colder months of the year, this soup recipe is on repeat in my house. It’s warm, comforting, and brimming with rich flavors. This classic recipe combines the earthy goodness of split peas with the savory depth of smoky ham, creating a wholesome and satisfying soup that’s perfect for chilly days or whenever you crave a hearty, nourishing meal. I love the thick chunky consistency it has while at the same time also being creamy. It also has the bonus of being easy and inexpensive to make and it makes the house smell wonderful. I was given this recipe from my grandmother over 20 years ago and have since adapted it to my tastes. I like a thicker pea soup but you can add a little more water or broth if you prefer yours thinner. This recipe makes a lot so you’ll likely have leftovers for later in the week or to freeze.

Why You’ll Love This Soup Recipe

It’s easy and quick to make – It only requires about 30 minutes of hands-on work.
It’s a perfect 1-pot cheap meal.
It only requires a few inexpensive ingredients.
It’s delicious and comforting on a cold or rainy day.
It makes a large quantity so you will have yummy leftovers for later or to freeze.

What Ingredients Do I Need

Cooked ham – pre-cooked ham steaks work perfectly for this recipe
Green split peas – dried
Onion – Medium sized.
Carrots
Celery
Water – you can also use vegetable or chicken broth if you prefer
Apple cider vinegar – Optional

A plate of ham slices with carrots, onions, celery and spit peas around it.

How To Make Split Pea Soup With Ham

Fry ham steaks – Fry whole in a large pot with a little olive oil.
Chop vegetables – Chop onion, carrots, and celery into small equal sized pieces.

Someone chopping carrots, onion and celery.

Remove ham when browned
Sautee vegetables – Add carrots, celery, and onion to pot and saute until browned and softened.

Carrots, onions, and celery sauteing in a pan.

Chop ham – Cut ham into equal-sized pieces.
Cook soup – Add ham, rinsed split peas, and water into the pot with the vegetables. Bring to a boil and cook for approximately 1 hour. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar (optional) to brighten the flavors. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.

Recipe Tips and Tricks For Success

Make sure to brown the ham sufficiently. This is what will give the soup a rich flavor.
Saute vegetables until softened and browned but not burnt.
Don’t add salt to the soup until the end once the peas have completely softened.
Allow the soup to rest overnight. This allows it to thicken and the flavors to meld.

Recipe Variations

You could swap out yellow split peas for the green if that’s what you have on hand. You could also use a vegetable or chicken broth instead of water if you prefer however I find there is enough flavor using just water. If you have a cooked ham hock on hand feel free to use that instead of ham steaks.

A pot of split pea soup with a wooden spoon across the top

What To Serve This Soup With

This soup makes a perfect meal on its own but I like to serve it with a crusty baguette or toasted rolls.

Storage Tips

This soup will keep fresh covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat the refrigerated soup, cook over medium heat until it’s reached the desired temperature. Allow frozen soup to thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat as above.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

Why do you rinse split peas before cooking? Rinsing helps get rid of any dust or dirt that may have settled on the peas. In the past it was also good to sort through the peas looking for any small rocks or non-split peas and remove them but nowadays most packaged split peas you purchase in a store have already been sorted. 

What is the foam on top of pea soup? Any foam that forms on the top of the soup while it's cooking is from the starch in the peas. It's easily removed by using a spoon to skim it off.

What if my pea soup is too thick? If your pea soup has become too thick you can add some water or broth to thin it out to the desired consistency.