Split Pea Soup with Ham
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Cozy up with a bowl of homemade split pea soup, packed with veggies and smoky ham. This simple, hearty soup is a meal in itself and perfect for chilly days when you need something satisfying and comforting.
Split pea soup is a classic American dish made from split peas and a pork-rich broth. While traditional recipes call for a smoked ham bone, finding one at modern-day supermarkets can feel like a treasure hunt. This recipe, adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, has a genius workaround: simmering thick-cut bacon and ham steak—both easily found in any supermarket—in the broth to give the soup that classic smoky, meaty flavor.
This split pea soup recipe is easy to make and brimming with flavor. I love topping it with crunchy croutons, but it’s just as delicious with crusty artisan bread, drop biscuits, or cornbread on the side.
“I made it exactly as written and it is the best split pea and ham soup that I have ever made in my life.”
What You’ll Need To Make Split Pea Soup
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatics form the flavor backbone of the soup.
- Chicken Broth: This is the savory base of the soup, adding depth and richness that complements the natural sweetness of the peas and vegetables. Be sure to use low-sodium broth to balance out the saltiness from the pork.
- Water: Added to adjust the soup’s consistency.
- Ham Steak: Infuses the soup with a rich, smoky flavor and also adds a hearty, meaty component.
- Bacon: Flavors the broth with a deep, smoky richness.
- Green Split Peas: Split peas are hulled, dried, and split peas, available in both green and yellow varieties. Green split peas are slightly sweeter and the most common choice for split pea soup. Yellow split peas are milder and often used in Indian dal recipes. They’re similar to lentils (both are legumes) and don’t need to be soaked before cooking. As they cook, the peas break down, naturally thickening the soup and giving it a creamy texture.
- Thyme and Bay Leaves: These herbs add a layer of aromatic complexity to the soup.
- Carrots and Celery: These vegetables add sweetness, color, and a hint of bitterness, creating a balanced flavor profile.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by sorting through the split peas to remove any rocks or debris, then rinse them and let them drain. While that’s happening, heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and salt, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant—just be sure not to brown it.
Add the broth, water, ham steak, bacon, peas, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to the pot.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes. Remove the ham steak, then stir in the carrots and celery.
Continue to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the peas have almost completely broken down, another 30 minutes or so. Meanwhile, shred the ham steak into small, bite-sized pieces using two forks, then cover it with foil to keep warm.
Discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and bacon slices. Add the shredded ham to the soup. Bring it back to a simmer, then grind in a little pepper and taste to adjust the seasoning as needed.
Depending on how salty the ham and bacon are, you may want to add a little more salt. Split pea soup naturally thickens as the peas break down, and it thickens even more as it sits. If it’s too thick, just add a bit of chicken broth or water to reach your desired consistency, and don’t forget to taste and adjust the seasoning afterward.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh croutons. Split pea soup can be made up to 3 days ahead—the flavor actually improves as it sits—or frozen for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
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Split Pea Soup with Ham
Packed with wholesome ingredients and rich, smoky flavor, this split pea soup is a satisfying, cozy dish for a cold day.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 pound ham steak, skin removed, cut into quarters (see note)
- 3 slices (4 oz) thick-cut bacon, left whole (see note)
- 1 pound green split peas (about 2 cups), picked through and rinsed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for serving
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium celery rib, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh croutons, for serving (optional; see instructions below)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Do not brown.
- Add the broth, water, ham steak, bacon, peas, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to keep the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the ham steak and place it on a plate; cover with foil and set aside. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the peas have almost completely broken down, about 30 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile, shred the ham steak into small bite-size pieces with two forks. Cover with foil again.
- Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and bacon slices. Add the shredded ham to the soup and return to a simmer. Add a few grinds of pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (depending on the saltiness of the ham and bacon you used, you may need an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt). Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh croutons, if using. (The soup will thicken as it sits on the stove; thin it with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.)
- Note: A ham steak is a thick slice of cooked ham cut from a whole ham roast. They can be found packaged in the refrigerated meat section of the supermarket, near the bacon.
- Note: Regular sliced bacon can be used, but the thinner slices are a little harder to remove from the soup.
- To Make Fresh Croutons: Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups of cubed good-quality French or Italian bread and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. The soup will thicken once cool, so thin with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 431
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 15 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Sodium: 1,686 mg
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!! Love your recipes. This one was the bomb!!
I recently made this split pea soup using a fabulous smoked ham hock with smoked bacon both purchased from a European food store. Amazing flavour ! I also used one sliced leek which added another element of flavour.
Always excellent recipes from Once Upon A Chef, thank you!
Hi Jenn:
This sounds like a great recipe, but why must the bacon be discarded after cooking? Why can’t it simply be eaten? I hate to waste food if I can avoid it.
Perhaps it’s because the bacon rendered all of its flavor to the soup, and there is nothing left to taste?
Thank you,
Claudia
Hi Claudia, The recipe calls for discarding the bacon because it’s really just intended to flavor the soup and its texture at the end of cooking is not very appealing. (Some readers have mentioned they’ve left it in the soup and have been happy with it.) Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Pea soup is an English classic.
This is seriously the best split pea soup… make it… you will love it!
We had a restaurant in Dallas called The Magic Pan. They were famous for their crepes and split pea soup. Sadly, they closed years ago. I can’t wait to try this recipe! TMP offered a swirl of sour cream or sherry when served. Your recipes are always spot on and my go to when having company. Thank you for sharing your gift!
I have never made split pea soup, so am ignorant about the main ingredient – split peas! Do I buy these frozen in the supermarket? Are they different from just any frozen peas? I live in Canada and it’s mid-January, so I’m not sure about fresh peas / split peas. Thanks in advance for your advice!
Hi Kate, split peas are dried, peeled, and split versions of mature peas, different from fresh or frozen. They can typically be found in the dry beans and lentils section of the grocery store. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the soup!
I love this recipe and have made it several times to rave reviews from my family. I have a warning to others, though. Today, when I made it the consistency of the soup was much thinner than in the past. Then I noticed that the “one pound” bag of split peas I used was downsized to 14 ounces. Luckily I had a second bag and could supplement with more peas. Crisis averted!
Wow. This is so simple yet so good. We had some ham leftover from thanksgiving but I wasn’t wanting to make anything heavy so after a quick search on your site I knew this was the recipe. I sent my husband a picture of it on the stove and he’s so excited. I can’t help but sneak a few spoonfuls as it simmers.
Excellent recipe, very easy to make and incredibly flavorful soup!! Thank you for your many wonderful recipes!
Always come back to this recipe as the cooler months begin to roll in – delicious as always. Your recipes are the best, thank you Jenn!