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Split Pea Soup with Ham

Split Pea Soup with Ham
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Thick, creamy split pea soup full of flavor with vegetables, split peas, and tender shredded ham. Perfect comfort food ready in under 2 hours.

Ingredients

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  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups finely diced onion (2 medium onions)
  • 1 cup finely diced carrot (2 to 3 large carrots)
  • 1 cup finely diced celery (3 to 4 stalks)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1½ cups green split peas, rinsed
  • 2 small bay leaves or 1 large
  • 1 meaty ham bone or 1 to 2 ham hocks (1 to 1.5 pounds each), plus additional chopped cooked ham if needed (up to 2½ cups total)
  • 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
  • Hearty buttered bread for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large 5.5-quart or larger heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook 5 to 8 minutes until vegetables are softened and onion begins turning golden.
  2. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant. Watch carefully as garlic can burn quickly. Add rinsed split peas and mix through.
  3. Add ham bone or ham hocks, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 60 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until peas are tender and soup coats the back of a spoon. Add extra chopped ham during last 10 minutes if using.
  4. Remove ham bone or ham hocks using tongs and let cool slightly. Use two forks to shred off meat. Discard bones and fat. Return shredded ham (about 2 cups total) to soup. Remove and discard bay leaves.
  5. Remove 2 cups of soup and blend until completely smooth. Remove center cap from blender lid and cover with kitchen towel to allow steam to escape. Return puree to pot and mix through. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
  6. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with hearty buttered bread, freshly ground pepper, and fresh thyme if desired.

Notes

  • Save leftover holiday ham bones with plenty of meat attached for best flavor. Ham hocks work great too and are sold pre-cooked in most meat sections, typically weighing 1 to 1.5 pounds each.
  • If ham bone is fairly bare, add extra chopped cooked ham to reach about 2 cups total meat in the finished soup.
  • Soup thickens as it cools. Add extra chicken broth (½ to 1 cup) when reheating to restore creamy consistency.
  • Cooking time varies depending on split peas, pot type, and heat level. Soup is ready when peas are completely tender and soup coats the back of a spoon.
  • Use a pot at least 5.5 quarts to give soup room to bubble without overflowing.

Nutrition

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