On a chilly fall or winter day, this recipe for split pea soup creates a filling, hearty supper.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 2 hrs |
| Additional Time: | 8 hrs |
| Total Time: | 10 hrs 15 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups dried split peas
- 2 quarts cold water, plus more as needed
- 1 ½ pounds ham bone
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch dried marjoram
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 potato, diced
Instructions
- Place peas in a large stockpot and cover with several inches of cold water; let soak, 8 hours to overnight. Drain, rinse, and return peas to the pot.
- Add 2 quarts of cold water, ham bone, onion, salt, pepper, and marjoram to the stockpot. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Remove ham bone; cut off meat, dice, and return meat to soup. Add celery, carrots, and potatoes. Cook slowly, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Reviews
I made this last winter when it was cold. It was a huge hit! I still have a 1 gallon ziploc freezer bag of it for when the weather cools off again. We are in Central Texas so that could still be a while… We were fortunate to have a ham bone with quite a bit of meat left on it from Christmas. I’d follow the directions right down the line. It was super!
Basic recipes is sound, need to add bay leaves & fresh thyme. I used ham hock & homemade pepper bacon. Make a stock with the hock & mirepoix first to develope more flavors. Let sitca fullv24 ho7rs before serving.
In my experience there is no need to soak the split peas. Followed the recipe except for the soaking and didn’t have potato on hand but the soup is thick enough for my liking. Delicious!!!!
still cooking, but it smells delicious.
Made it many times and the family loves the dish.
“I only gave it a 3 star rating because I didn’t make it exactly as written!” Are you serious? Stop changing recipes and then lower their rating because you didn’t actually make it!!! This recipe, made correctly, and as written, is absolutely awesome! Making again tonight. Thank you poster!
Added garlic and fresh thyme.
I started out with making this recipe, but quickly realized that I didn’t have all the ingredients! I only had one bag of split peas, no marjoram, no onions so I improvised, and adjusted the entire recipe. I rinsed the peas and soaked them overnight, and rinsed them again in the morning. I added the peas back in the pot with 2 boxes of reduced sodium chicken broth, dried onions, pepper, a small ham bone, and garlic powder and boiled it all for about 5 minutes on high and then brought it down to the simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes. I cut up the celery, carrots, and all of the ham steak I had on hand. I added the celery, ham, and carrots to the soup along with more pepper and garlic; and boiled the soup for another 37 minutes. I stirred the soup throughout the entire process and tasted. So good!!! Only gave it a 3 star rating because I didn’t make it exactly as written…and it was amazing!!! Thank you for the starter recipe!!
Has made split pea soup many times with many different recipes this was one of the best. Used half chicken stock and half vegetable stock instead of just water. Did not use potatoes, adjusted the seasonings to taste
The recipe was easy to follow. I added soda in the soaking water 1 teaspoon. I used salted porc instead of ham bones. Worked out well. Very tasty recipe.
I’ve always omitted the pre-soak of peas. Yes, commits to 2 hrs of time, but I personally see as building the best flavor profile. Looking for people’s different varieties. The vegetables and seasons are unlimited. Will gently season cut veggies used. I traditionally hold back on added salt. Ham hocks and shanks do very well. If desire is to use store bought broth, go 50/50 with water. Taste test halfway into cook, if needs a boost, go easy with seasoned bases. The batch I started today is a 2 step method. Yesterday had lots of onions and carrots from a pantry. Cleaned and rough chopped. Seasoned well with my salt free mildly spiced house seasoning and Tajin Mexican. Pressure cooked for 25 mins, twice, in 2 batches, to gauge the cook of carrots. Then pureed well with hand stick blender hot. Cooled properly and used it today. I always start my recipe on medium heat until gentle boil, then reduce to simmer. Stir every 10 or 15 mins. Today is: 7 cups of water, 2 bay leaves, and leftover frozen ham, around a cup, from a cooked ham shank. (I have rope sausage, Polska Kielbasa, ready and waiting. Chose that for it to enhance the Mexican spices.) No added salt yet. – The ham and seasoned puree will determine later-. Taste tested by dipping clean spoon after 45 mins. Close, but no need for salt. Will cut up the sausage near end. I cut mine down the length, then cut into chunks. At the 75 mins., I cut up the kielbasa and stirred in. After comes back to simmer, cook additional 15 minutes. This batch I will cool and enjoy tomorrow.
Good ‘starter’ recipe but too bland for me. I used Chicken Stock instead of water and added 5 tbls of 505 Hatch Green Chilis from Costco and it brought it to life nicely.
The soup was nice, thick, and delicious. The recipe was easy to follow and not difficult to make at all. My husband loves it!
Delicious, very filling, and couldn’t be easier. I made following modifications: 1. Did not use ham bone; replaced water with chicken broth 2. Used 2 pounds peeled and sliced carrots 3. Added two large cloves garlic 4. 1 pound chopped ham I prepared in a slow-cooker. Garlic, peas, potato, and chicken broth cooked on high 3 hours, then pureed with an immersion blender. All other ingredients added and cooked on medium 4 hours. Check the softness of the carrots at three hours and turn to high if not softening quickly enough.
As another reviewer has noted: you do not need to soak the peas prior to using. Rinse them and go!
I also used this recipe as a guide for a slow cooker version with a Ham bone. Added three minced cloves of Garlic, 1 rib of celery diced, 1/2 a large shallot with half a Vidalia onion, chopped parsley, ground, smoked black pepper (no salt), and I used 2lbs of peas and two quarts of low salt chicken stock, plus about 2 cups of water to start. Once cooked, I added last nights oven roasted carrots cut on a bias (they were roasted with butter and fresh dill), generous 2 cups of diced ham, and Wow…I didn’t use potatoes, but I was wondering if anyone has ever used a sweet potato in this recipe???? Recommended!
You don’t need to soak peas.
Was a bit concerned when I saw some reviews saying they had added stock, or that they hadn’t and it was bland. Well, I trusted the fact there were so many reviews and didn’t add anything and this was SO TASTY! The ham and vegetables add enough flavour on their own. I didn’t soak the peas as I didn’t leave myself time, but given they are cooking for 90 mins it’s plenty. I also couldn’t get bone in ham but it was still plenty tasty without bone. Recommend!
I used dried oregano (didn’t have marjoram) and, since the price of ham bone in NYC is obscene, I boiled the split peas In 1/2 lb of kielbasa sausage and 3 1/2 cups of chicken bone broth which I prepare over 2 days and always keep in the freezer. Then added the rest of recommended water using the one the rinsed peas had been brought to a brief boil in (did not have 8 h for soaking). For extra taste, I sautéed carrots and celery in butter and olive oil with garlic and onions before adding to the soup. Tastes very good.
I was intimidated to make this recipe. I have never cooked with a ham bone before and my mom holds the title of making the BEST Split Pea Soup. But after making a ham for Thanksgiving and so many leftovers! I said this was the year!! Followed EXACTLY except there was not enough ham on the bone – so I used my chopped leftovers in addition to the meat stripped from the bone. I also used the “quick method” for preparing my dried peas. Wow! A darn close second to my moms….and maybe the only difference is because I made it and not her!! Winner!! Thank you!!
Delicious! Added radishes in place of potatoes and it was perfect!