This Split Pea Soup Recipe is thick, creamy, and full of flavor with veggies, split peas, and tender shredded ham. This humble-looking soup tastes anything but humble!
No ham? No problem! Try this Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe instead.
author’s note
If You Make One Soup This Season, Make This!
While I first made split pea soup as a way to use up a leftover holiday ham bone, it quickly became one of those recipes I crave year-round. There’s just something about the way the peas melt down into a creamy base while the ham seasons the broth that makes it feel like comfort in a bowl. My kids love dunking big hunks of bread into it, and I love how easy and filling it is.
Even though the soup looks simple, I’ve tested different variations over the years. Sometimes with a ham bone, sometimes with just diced ham, and other times completely vegetarian. The result? I’ve learned that this is one of those recipes that is endlessly flexible and always satisfying.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| Split peas | Use either green or yellow. Green is classic with a slightly sweeter flavor, yellow is a bit earthier. |
| Ham bone / ham hock | If you don’t have one, use diced ham. For vegetarian, skip it and add extra broth + smoked paprika for depth. |
| Broth | Chicken broth adds richness, but vegetable broth works. Use low-sodium if your ham is salty. |
| Veggies (carrots, celery, onion) | This classic trio builds flavor. Swap in leeks for onion or parsnips for carrots for a fun twist. |
| Seasonings | A bay leaf adds depth. Smoked paprika or thyme can give extra flavor if not using a ham bone. |
Quick Tip
Any split peas will work, but in my testing, I preferred Bob’s Red Mill®! (Not sponsored)
How to Make Split Pea Soup Recipe
- Serve hot. Add bread or croutons on the side.
- Sauté veggies in butter or oil until softened.
- Add peas, broth, and ham bone/hock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer low & slow. Cook until peas are tender and ham shreds easily.
- Remove ham bone, shred meat, return to soup.
Split Pea Soup Recipe Notes
- Cooking time varies depending on peas, pot, and stove. Test by checking if ham shreds easily and peas are tender.
- Texture preference: For creamier soup, simmer longer until peas fall apart. Too thick? Stir in water or broth.
- Heavy-bottomed pot: Prevents peas from scorching at the bottom.
Storage
Split Pea Soup Recipe Leftovers?
- How to reheat: This soup stores nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. To reheat, add the soup to a small pot and heat over low heat until warmed to desired preference. Or reheat in the microwave. (Make sure to cover it so it doesn’t splatter!) It does thicken as it stores, so you’ll need to add in some additional chicken broth to thin.
- Freezing: Split Pea Soup will freeze well for up to 2 to 3 months. Here are some best methods for thawing frozen soup.
Serve This Soup With:
Appetizers
Life-Changing No-Knead Dinner Rolls
Green Salads
Garden Salad
Sandwiches
Mini Grilled Cheese
Salads
Winter Fruit Salad
Split Pea Soup Recipe
This Split Pea Soup Recipe is thick, creamy, and packed with veggies, split peas, and tender ham—humble-looking but bursting with flavor!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups finely diced onion 2 medium onions
- 1 cup finely diced carrot 2 to 3 large carrots
- 1 cup finely diced celery 3 to 4 stalks
- Salt and pepper see note 1
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-1/2 cups green split peas rinsed; old split peas may not soften
- 2 small bay leaves or 1 large
- 1 meaty ham bone or ham hocks, see note 3, plus more ham if desired
- 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- Fresh thyme leaves optional
- Hearty buttered bread for serving
Instructions
- In a large (5.5 quart or larger) heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and salt/pepper to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Cook until veggies are softened and onion is beginning to turn golden, 5–8 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, thyme, red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add rinsed split peas and mix through.
- Add ham bone, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 60–90 minutes (see note 4), stirring occasionally so the peas don’t catch on the bottom of the pot. Cook until peas are cooked and soup is thickened to desired consistency. Stir a bit more frequently as the soup begins to thicken. Add a splash more broth if it gets too thick for your preference. If adding additional ham, add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- When ready to serve, remove ham bone and shred off as much meat as you can. Discard the bone(s) and fat. Return ham to soup. (I like about 2 cups, so if your ham comes up short, you may want to add additional chopped ham.) Remove and discard bay leaves. Remove 2 cups of the soup and blend (see note 5) until completely smooth. Return blended puree to the soup pot and mix through. Taste and season, adding additional salt/pepper as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with hearty buttered bread, a sprinkle of pepper, and fresh thyme, if using. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Add salt slowly and to taste. Ham hocks are salty (saltier than a ham bone), so you may not need any salt. If you are sensitive to salt and using ham hocks, replace 2 cups of chicken broth with water.
Note 2: There are a few options for the ham. Whatever method you use, try to get a ham bone with as much meat as possible—this delivers more flavor in the soup and means you’ll have more ham in the final dish.
- Leftover ham bone: If you’ve baked a holiday ham, save the bone (and leave a good amount of meat on it) for this soup. You can also ask a butcher at the grocery store for leftover ham bones.
- Ham hocks: Ham hocks are a ham bone, so these are already cooked through. They are usually sold in the meat section of the store or can be found in the deli.
- Adding extra ham: If your leftover ham bone is fairly bare or the ham hock(s) are less than 1-3/4 pounds, you’ll probably want some extra ham—I like to have 2 up to 2-1/2 cups of ham in this soup. Just add some shredded or diced ham about 10 minutes before it will be done cooking.
- More flavorful broth: With a bare ham bone or small ham hocks, you may need to add some extra chicken bouillon powder or salt to the broth to ensure there is enough flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 829mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6833IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love this recipe! I like to use a smoke ham hock as we love the smokiness it adds to the soup.
This is the perfect fall soup.
I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Martha!
I made this soup the other night for dinner, it was a very cold day so soup sounded good. It was amazing!! Only difference I cooked 2 ham hocks down most of the afternoon in chicken stock. I will definitely make this again we ate all the leftovers for lunch!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Patti!
I made this today and it was absolutely delicious!!! Everyone in my family loved it! Will make again and thank you for the excellent recipe!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Lynn!
Why only 1 and 1/2 cups of split peas ? Most recipes use a 1lb.bag.
Just how I created this recipe 🙂
This,soup is delicious, had no ham, so made a cottage roll, kept half the cooking liquid, I added frozen chicken and ham broth I had, them added a lil Maggie seasoning.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Pauline!
Looks like it would be delicious! Add a little sherry or a dollop of sour cream to a bowl full and it will be over the top. Trust me!
Delicious! Enjoy! 🙂