Description
A comforting and hearty Split Pea Soup recipe that is perfect for a cozy meal. This soup is packed with nutritious ingredients and flavors that develop beautifully as it simmers. Whether you choose to include ham or keep it vegetarian, this soup is sure to be a hit!
Ingredients
Scale
Split Pea Soup Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 2 celery stalks (diced)
- 1 pound (about 2 1/4 cups) dried green split peas (rinsed and picked over)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 smoked ham hock or 1 cup diced cooked ham (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5–6 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the split peas, bay leaf, thyme, broth, water, and ham hock or diced ham if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and the soup is thickened.
- Remove the bay leaf and ham hock, if used. If you used a ham hock, shred any meat and return it to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. For a smoother texture, you can blend part of the soup using an immersion blender. Serve warm.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the ham and use vegetable broth.
- Soup thickens as it sits—add more water or broth when reheating if needed.
- This soup freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 13g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
