If you love homemade split pea soup, this split pea soup recipe will be your new favorite. Ham Bone Split Pea Soup uses a handful of fresh vegetables and a leftover ham bone for a whole pot of easy split pea soup that’s ready in just over an hour.

This post has been updated for recipe and photos. I had misgivings about putting this green pea soup recipe on the blog.  Not because of any flavor issues — but let’s face it — homemade split pea soup — that particular shade of green — doesn’t inspire you to devour bowl after bowl.  No, really it’s the aroma that gets you and keeps you coming back.  And of course, the taste!  This ham bone split pea soup is the way my Mom makes it. 

So everyone put on your rose colored glasses and go with me on this.  Homemade split pea soup is one of the homiest one-pot meals out there.  Yes, chicken soup is good for the soul, but ham bone split pea soup in it is good for everything else.

This green pea soup recipe is one of those stick-to-your-ribs wonders that’s rich and satisfying — warming you from the inside out.  Plus, easy split pea soup goes great with a grilled cheese sandwich, or if you happen to have any of those angel flake biscuits left-over from the holidays, break them out, now!

My green pea soup recipe is easy to make and — it makes a lot! This meaty potage gets it’s creamy mouth-feel from those little split peas, which just dissolve into the broth.  And by broth, I mean the ham bone and water.  Split peas and lentils are the two legumes that don’t actually need an overnight soak or extensive cooking times, consequently, I always have a bag of each on hand for quick, easy, satisfying meals.

The key to ham bone split pea soup is the ham bone.  It flavors the broth and provides body and mouth feel to the soup. As the ham bone simmers with the other ingredients, it releases natural gelatins that turns this soup into a jello-mold if you chill it overnight in the fridge.  You know what I’m talking about.  But just heat it up and it returns to that thick, savory amalgam.  Man, is it good.

Ham bone split pea soup is so good, you’re gonna want to make a baked ham, just so you can use the bone for a homemade split pea soup.

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Ham Bone Split Pea Soup

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bean soup, ham bone, soup, split pea

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 280 kcal

Split pea soup with ham is one of the easiest and most delicious, satisfying soups.  A ham bone is essential for flavoring the broth.

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Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried split peas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 1 leftover ham bone
• 4 sprigs thyme leaves tied with kitchen string
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups cool water - or more if soup gets too thick
• 1 1/2 cups ham pulled from the bone and shredded into bite sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, and celery. Saute for five minutes until vegetables are tender.

2. Add the ham bone, peas, water, thyme and bay leaf. Stir and cover. Heat to a boil and reduce heat to medium low.

3. Simmer for one hour or until peas have broken apart and soup is thick. Remove ham bone and discard. Stir in diced ham and heat through.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Soup should be thick, but if it becomes so thick that it's more like a split pea scoop instead of soup -- just stir in more water about a cup at a time to thin it out to your liking.

Nutrition Facts

Ham Bone Split Pea Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 280 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5g 8%

Cholesterol 15mg 5%

Sodium 469mg 20%

Potassium 673mg 19%

Total Carbohydrates 39g 13%

Dietary Fiber 15g 60%

Sugars 7g

Protein 19g 38%

Vitamin A 103.6%

Vitamin C 4.6%

Calcium 4.4%

Iron 15.5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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