Description
This comforting Split Pea Soup is a hearty and flavorful dish made with dried split peas, a meaty ham bone, and fresh vegetables simmered together to create a thick, satisfying soup perfect for chilly days. Infused with herbs like parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, this classic recipe delivers warmth and nourishment in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 cups dried split peas (yellow or green, about 14 ounces)
- 1 meaty ham bone (or 2 cups leftover ham, diced)
- 4 cups water (or additional broth if desired)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
Vegetables and Seasoning
- 3 ribs celery (diced)
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Sort and Rinse Peas: Sort through the dried split peas carefully to remove any debris or impurities. Then rinse them thoroughly under cold water and drain well to prepare for cooking.
- Combine Base Ingredients: In a large pot, add the rinsed peas, ham bone, water, chicken broth, dried parsley, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid to simmer gently for 1 hour, allowing flavors to develop.
- Add Vegetables and Seasoning: After 1 hour, add diced celery, carrots, onion, black pepper, dried thyme, and salt to the pot. Stir well, cover again, and continue to simmer on low heat for another 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the peas start to soften further.
- Remove Ham and Thicken Soup: Remove the ham bone from the soup and chop off any meat clinging to it. Return the chopped ham meat to the pot and cook the soup uncovered for about 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens and the peas break down creating a creamy texture.
- Final Seasoning: Discard the bay leaf from the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- You can use either yellow or green split peas for this recipe.
- If you don’t have a ham bone, diced leftover ham works well to add smoky flavor.
- Sensitivity to salt varies, so add salt gradually at the end to avoid over-salting.
- For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to partially blend after cooking.
- This soup reheats well and thickens upon standing; add broth or water to adjust consistency when serving leftovers.
