This classic and easy recipe for Split Pea Soup is made with a leftover ham bone from your holiday dinner! It’s creamy and savory but with a bit of natural sweetness from the peas – smoky, earthy, and oh-so comforting.
After Easter dinner or Christmas dinner is over and you’ve enjoyed a delicious Honey Baked Ham with your family, don’t throw away the leftovers!
The bone from that leftover ham will make the most delicious and flavorful split pea soup. This wholesome soup recipe is slow simmered on the stovetop with aromatic vegetables, simple seasonings, and a bag of green split peas.
In about an hour and a half, you’ll have a hearty and comforting pot of split pea soup with ham that you made completely from scratch!
Now, if you haven’t baked a ham recently, you can absolutely still make this split pea soup recipe. I’ll give you some easy substitutions below.
Looking for more soup recipes? I have so many here for you to choose from! Creamy Sweet Potato Soup is a favorite, and I think you’ll also like my Crushed Lentil Soup as well.
Classic Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup
- A Nostalgic Favorite – You might remember your parents or grandparents making a soup recipe just like this one. Making pea soup with a ham bone is a thrifty way to get more out of less.
- Super Simple Recipe – You won’t need any fancy equipment or special ingredients to make split pea soup – Just your trusty Dutch Oven or your favorite soup pot and some basic, inexpensive, and rustic ingredients.
- Versatile Recipe – Feel free to adjust the seasonings on this recipe. A bit of spice can be really nice here, or you might like it with more or less garlic.
Ingredients In Split Pea Soup
Here’s what you need to make this comforting soup with a leftover ham bone:
- Ham Bone: This is the key to a rich and flavorful, slightly smoky split pea soup. Usually, this soup is made after a holiday, using the bone and leftovers from a roasted ham.
- Split Peas: Dried split peas are an inexpensive legume and are a key ingredient in this recipe. Green split peas are slightly sweet, earthy, and creamy after cooking. Yellow split peas can also be used, but keep in mind that they are starchier, so you will need to add more liquid to your soup. Be sure to rinse the peas and check through them to be sure that there aren’t any little stones in the bag.
- Carrots, Celery, and Onion: This trio of vegetables is the base for most great soup recipes. Dice the vegetables into small, evenly sized pieces.
- Seasonings: The seasonings for split pea soup are classic and savory. You’ll need salt, pepper, minced garlic, dried thyme, and one bay leaf.
- Broth: Homemade or boxed chicken broth works well for split pea soup. If you have some ham stock in the freezer, that would be even better!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Split Pea Soup with Ham
- Saute the Aromatics: In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies start to soften. This should take 3 or 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Fill the Pot: Add the ham bone and slices, split peas, chicken broth, water, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer: Allow the split pea soup to simmer for 60-75 minutes or until the peas are very tender. and the broth has thickened.
- Blend: Remove the ham bone and ham slices from the soup and set aside to cool. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup if desired to create a thicker, creamier consistency.
- Add the Ham: Chop the meat into small pieces, then stir them into the soup. Serve immediately with fresh thyme or parsley to garnish.
Tip!
Crispy croutons make the most wonderful addition to this creamy soup. Try my homemade croutons recipe, or easy air fryer croutons!
Recipe Tips
- Ham Bone Substitutes: If you don’t have a ham bone handy, look for smoked ham hocks or ham shanks in the butcher case. They’ll add tremendous flavor to your pea soup. Another less expensive option would be to use a few strips of uncooked smoked bacon.
- Make Vegan Split Pea Soup: You can leave out the ham completely if you like and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock. If you’re missing the smoky flavor, liquid smoke can be added as well.
- To Blend or Not to Blend: It’s up to you! I like to partially blend the soup so that there are still visible carrots and peas. If it is blended too much, this soup might be too thick. If that happens, stir in some extra broth.
- Make it in the Instant Pot: Follow my Instant Pot Split Pea Soup if you want to pressure cook this recipe instead.
Storing Tips
- Once your split pea soup has cooled down, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat servings in the microwave or over gentle heat on the stovetop.
- You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Split Pea Soup With Ham
This hearty and savory soup with ham is already a meal by itself and doesn’t need much more to fill everyone’s bellies.
But I would suggest serving this with some hearty bread or rolls so that you can wipe the bowl clean when you’re finished!
Recipe FAQs
Do you need to soak split peas?
Unlike other dried beans, split peas do not need to be soaked before cooking. A long, slow cooking time will soften them just fine without this step. Some cooks will recommend soaking the split peas overnight, but I haven’t found it necessary.
Why aren’t my split peas softening?
There are two reasons why your split peas might not be softening in the soup. The first is that the peas are old and too dry. Try to buy fresh peas next time. Some think that hard water could be the culprit here as well. If you know that your tap water is heavily mineralized, use filtered water to cook the peas instead.
Can split pea soup with ham be frozen?
Yes, this soup freezes very well! I suggest freezing the soup in individual serving sizes in freezer bags or containers. They will keep this way for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What seasonings are best for split pea soup?
I think that the best way to season split pea soup with ham is with classic, simple seasonings. This soup is smoky, salty, and earthy from the peas and ham, so it doesn’t need much more to make it delicious! This recipe uses garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to add subtle savory flavors.
This classic split pea soup recipe is going to be your family’s new favorite! Don’t forget to Pin and Share the recipe with anyone else who is wondering what to do with that leftover holiday ham!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Split Pea Soup With Ham
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (39 g) unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion diced (about 1 ½ cup)
- 3 medium carrots peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 3 stalks celery diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ham bone plus additional slices of ham if desired
- 1 pound (450 g) dried split peas rinsed, picked over, and drained
- 5 cups (1200 ml) chicken broth can use reduced sodium if desired
- 3 cups (720 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- Fresh thyme for garnish optional
- Croutons for serving optional
Instructions
- In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies start to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the ham bone and slices, split peas, chicken broth, water, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, stir, and cover. Allow to simmer for 60-75 minutes, or until the peas are tender.
- Remove the ham bone and slices and chop all the meat into small pieces.
- Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup if desired, then stir the chopped ham back into the soup. Serve immediately with fresh thyme and croutons.
Notes:
- Ham Bone Substitutes: If you don’t have a ham bone handy, look for smoked ham hocks or ham shanks in the butcher case. They’ll add tremendous flavor to your pea soup. Another less expensive option would be to use a few strips of uncooked smoked bacon.
- Make Vegan Split Pea Soup: You can leave out the Ham completely if you like and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock. If you’re missing the smoky flavor, liquid smoke can be added as well.
- To Blend or Not to Blend: It’s up to you! I like to blend the soup only partially so that there are still visible carrots and peas. Blended too much, this soup might be too thick. If that happens, stir in some extra broth.
- To Store: Once your split pea soup has cooled down, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat servings in the microwave, or over gentle heat on the stovetop. You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Sandra says
could I use green peas as an option,split green pea soup ?
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Yes, either green or yellow split peas can be used. The green peas are a bit sweeter, but still delicious!