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split pea soup with ham and croutons
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4.99 from 332 votes

Split Pea Soup with Ham

This slowly-simmered split pea soup uses a ham bone (or ham hocks) for a rich, subtly smoky flavor. Don't forget the croutons on top!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: leftover ham recipe, split pea soup recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Amanda Biddle

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 cup diced carrot (1/4-inch dice)
  • 1 cup diced celery (1/4-inch dice)
  • 1/4 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt , to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper , plus additional to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 pound dried split peas , rinsed and sorted
  • 1 meaty ham bone
  • 1 large bay leaf (or 2 small)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves , chopped and quantity divided
  • 6 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup diced ham (1/4-inch dice)
  • Buttery Garlic Croutons , for serving

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add onion, carrot, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until aromatic. Stir in split peas.
    overhead photo of a dutch oven with diced onion, celery, and carrots
  • Add ham bone, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Stir in chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until split peas are cooked down and soup is thickened to desired consistency. (Stir more frequently as the soup begins to thicken and add a little additional stock or water if it gets too thick for your taste.)
    overhead photo of a pot of split pea soup with ham bone simmering
  • Add diced ham during the last 15 minutes of cooking. When ready to serve, remove and discard ham bone and bay leaf, and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Season to taste with salt, if needed. Serve hot with croutons and cracked black pepper.
    overhead photo of a pot of split pea soup with a ladleful being taken out

Video

Notes

*Salt content can vary significantly across brands of ham. This is why I recommend seasoning the soup to taste after it's finished simmering. If you taste your ham before cooking and it's particularly salty, you might want to omit the 1/4 teaspoon salt when sweating the vegetables.

Ham Bone Substitution:

*If you don't have a leftover ham bone, two smoked ham hocks can be substituted (1-1/2 pounds). They are saltier than a ham bone, so reduce the added salt in your soup accordingly. When you remove the ham hocks from the pot, shred the meat off of the bones and return it to the pot before serving. Discard the bones.

Make-ahead:

The soup can be stored, tightly-covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen for 2-3 months. When reheating (to 160 degrees F), add additional stock to thin the soup, if needed.
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Nutrition

Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 1025mg | Potassium: 1183mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 4030IU | Vitamin C: 8.9mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 4.4mg

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