This soup might be simple, but wow, is it delicious! Split pea soup has been a New England favorite for ages, made with dried split peas and either a ham hock or some leftover ham. You can blend it up for a smooth, creamy texture or leave it chunky with hearty bits of veggies and ham. Itโs a humble soup, but it’s easy to make and budget-friendly.
Serve it up with Rustic Garlic Parmesan Herb Bread or Garlic Parmesan Herb Dinner Rolls.
Why Our Recipe
- Rich and smoky goodness: Ham hocks bring meaty flavor to every spoonful.
- Easy, one-pot meal: Toss it all in, let it simmer, and youโre golden.
- Texture Options: Blend it until it’s smooth and creamy or keep it chunky.
Split pea soup is made from dried split peas which is how the soup gets its name. But what about the split peas? That comes from the process used to preserve them. They are peeled, dried, and split. The color of split pea soup varies between yellow and green, depending on the variety of split peas used.
Ingredient Notes
- Salted Butter: If you only have unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
- Onion: Use a white or yellow onion. Dice it into small pieces.
- Carrots: Baby carrots work too, just cut them into smaller pieces for even cooking.
- Split Peas: Split peas are a dried pea that can be found bagged, in the dry food section of your supermarket. They should be located somewhere near the dried beans and lentils.
- Chicken Broth: Using a low-sodium option allows you to best control the flavorโitโs a great chef tip.
- Ham Hocks: If you can’t find ham hocks, you can use a ham bone instead. Or, to make things easy, can also use diced ham. Simply add in the diced ham after pureeing your soup.
Using Dried Split Peas
Split peas, like lentils, do not need to be soaked before cooking. Beans require soaking prior to cooking, but because these are peas they can be used directly in the recipe. It is still a good idea to rinse your peas thoroughly before cooking to remove any dirt particles and pick out anything that’s shriveled.
Ham Hocks and Options
This recipe utilizes ham hocks. They are cheap and what keeps this soup humble. Throwing them in your soup is super easy and brings a lot of flavor with a little bit of meat. You’re basically making your own ham stock!
You can use diced ham instead if you can’t find ham hocks or don’t want to use them. This can be leftover ham or you can purchase diced ham. Simply add it in after pureeing your soup. Return the soup to a simmer to allow the ham to heat through.
If you’d like to get two meals in one, you can also use the ham bone the day after you’ve had a delicious ham dinner. Strip the ham off the bone and save for garnish.
Chunky vs Smooth
Traditionally, this soup is served as a smooth purรฉe, but we love a little added texture. Just skip the last step where you pour it into the blender and you’ve still got the smoothness of the base but with those yummy vegetable chunks and pieces of salty, savory ham.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag, leaving space at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating.
My favorite soup , but lately the peas donโt split .The peas have not been good.
You could always blend them just a bit to get the desired texture.
The best soup ingredients thank U so much
I am looking forward to making this recipe tomorrow
Hat’s off the the “chef’s” that came up with this great, simple, nutritious recipe! Great food for your health, easy to make and easy on the budget. To me, America needs more like this to feed, satisfy and heal our people. Almost like a “comfort food!” โค๏ธ
I made this without the butter and meat, (I try to eat vegan) and instead made it with no-oil frying, and just water instead of the broth- and with that, as “plain” as that- it was Great!!! ๐
I first did half the recipe, and now I’m preparing to do the full recipe, and freezing some.
You won’t be disappointed, and you’ll probably want to keep it as a staple recipe!
Fall is coming, winter is coming, I think you’ll love having this!
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I made this for supper to tonight, per my husbandโs request, as I have never had it before. I knew that I was going to be gone all day and needed something ready when I got home, so I put it into the crockpot. After cooking all day, all I had to do was pull out the ham bone, stir it and it was ready to eat. It was delicious!! ๐๐๐
This is delicious!!! Tastes like my motherโs split pea soup. I will be making this again and AGAIN!!๐
Canโt wait to try this
Hi Rachel! I appreciate your recipes so much; I love that you show us, step-by-step, how to make them. I’m a grandma, enjoy the kitchen BUT have never tried Split Pea Soup because it “sounded complicated to me!” You showed me that I can easily do this. Thank so much! ~Blessings
Make it! It’s so easy!