Ham Bone Split Pea Soup
This post has been updated for recipe and photos since its original publication in 2014.
If you love homemade split pea soup, this green 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.
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 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 THIS is good for everything else.
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This recipe is one of those stick-to-your-ribs wonders that’s rich and satisfying — warming you from the inside out. Plus, it 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!
Happily, this pea soup 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 this 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.
More Ways To Use Dried Peas:
More easy bean soups:
- Ham Kale and Great Northern Bean Soup
- Smoky Black Bean and Ham Soup
- Red Bean and Sausage Soup
- Navy Bean Sausage and Escarole Soup
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Ham Bone Split Pea Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 12 ounces dried split peas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- ½ 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 ½ cups ham pulled from the bone and shredded into bite sized pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, and celery. Saute for five minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add the ham bone, peas, water, thyme and bay leaf. Stir and cover. Heat to a boil and reduce heat to medium low.
- 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.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
RECIPE VIDEO:
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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This is one of the easiest and best split pea soups I’ve ever had. I wonder if I could use other smoked things, like ham hocks or turkey legs to flavor the soup, too.
May I do this in the slow cooker and if so for how long?
About 5 hours in a slow cooker on low or until the peas are soft and falling apart. Add additional water as necessary to get the consistency you want.
Easy recipe to follow, I had no ham bone only ham cutlets and diced them. I also used 3 bay leafs and puréed 2 cups of the soups once it was cooked. It was awesome!!
Came out wonderfully. I added minced garlic for flavor.
You do not indicate whether to cover / uncover when simmering
In step 2 of the recipe card it says to “stir and cover”. Hope that helps.
Good ole split pea soup. This turned out great, but I had a huge ham bone so had to boil bone for 2 hours prior to adding peas and vegetables.
Should I add some of the juice that the ham baked in?
Absolutely, if you have it.
Making this tomorrow for my family! Do I have to use a Dutch oven?
You can do this in a heavy-bottomed stock pot or a slow cooker.
Mine turned out great! Easy to make also.
I’m making the soup it is done but to soupy what can I do to thicken it ? I’ve already taken some peas and mashed them. Was wondering if I brought it to boil and let it cook down a bit?
If you simmer it at medium or medium-low for an additional 15-20 minutes without the lid, some liquid should evaporate and the soup will be thicker. It will also thicken as it cools.
My husband never liked split pea soup so I rarely made it. I made your soup recipe and he likes it. I make it often now. Very easy recipe.
Followed recipe as printed except use dried thyme. Came out great and delicious.
I just bought a Lodge dutch oven, and i use it quite frequently, with amazing results. I made this soup tonight, and it was fabulous! I did not have fresh thyme or bay leaves. So i subbed with 1 tblsp italian seasoning. The flavor was magnificent. Great recipe, it is now a part of my soup group!
I have always been afraid to make this soup, it was my favorite that my dad made when I was a kid. This recipe was easy and it came out just right. Only issue is I accidentally blended the bay leaf. I mixed all the ingredients except some extra ham and carrots, cooked them down for an hour, then blended it (guessing I blended 2 bay leaves, can’t find them so guess it’s ok). I then added the soup back to the pot and added the extra ham pieces and carrots. My house smells amazing!
LOL – that’s too funny about the bay leaf! I’m glad you like the soup, tho!
Hi Lisa, will not having celery effect it too much?
You can make it without the celery if you don’t have any, but it’s part of a classic mire poix, so get some for your next pot of soup!
I have yellow whole peas on the stove, they’ve been cooking about an hour and a half (and finally softening) and I also have chicken bones in the instant pot as i like to use my own broth, I plan to put the ham bone in the instant pot today as well to get some of that goodness. Tomorrow I will salute my veggies and add everything together and simmer, my question is, should I use the water the yellow peas are in as well or should I drain them and just add them to tomorrows broth?
I would use the same liquid you cooked the peas in. If they didn’t break down on their own, you can puree a cup or so to give the soup the creamy texture. See this post on yellow peas that I did… https://www.garlicandzest.com/yellow-peas-with-smoked-sausage/
Spruced mine with chicken stock and no olive oil, Butter makes everything better, and definitely cooked longer for a creamier soup.
Going to make this today, can I use 16oz of dried split peas? I have a 16oz bag and I know if I only use the 12oz recommended the rest of the peas will sit in my cupboard until they’re not good anymore.
by all means use the 16 oz. You may need more water, but that’s ok.
Yes
Can you use dried thyme if you don’t have fresh? How much?
Sure. Half a teaspoon works fine.
Hi I’m trying to make this right now. I only have hamhocks. Ok to use?
Yes, you can use ham hocks, but you probably won’t get any meat from the bones, however, it will flavor the soup nicely and add body.
We tried making some split pea and ham soup (Not your recipe unfortunately). Soaked the peas overnight, brought mixture to a boil in a dutch oven and simmered for a couple hours. Peas never got soft. What brand peas do you use? We used Goya split peas. HELP PLEASE. We both enjoy this type of soup but don’t want to make again, afraid same thing will happen. Thanks Dan
I’ve used Goya split peas as well as Iberia. Split peas don’t need to soak overnight, generally, and will break down in the soup when simmered for a long time. Do you know how old your dried peas were? Sometimes if they’re past their best buy date, you may have to cook them longer and may require more liquid (sometimes up to 2-3 cups more). Rest assured, they will eventually absorb the liquid and soften up. Just give it more time.