Split Pea Soup (with VIDEO)

This homemade Split Pea Soup is the perfect cozy soup recipe as we roll into the winter months. This soup is a nutritious blend of split peas, savory ham, and sauteed vegetables, creating the perfect comfort food to warm you from the inside out. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.

The Best Split Pea Soup Recipe

Growing up, my mom had the best Split Pea Soup recipe. She called it by its Ukrainian name, Horohoviy Soup. I remember back when I was working as a nurse, on a cold winter day, my husband called my mom for this recipe, and when I came home, he had a warm bowl of homemade Split Pea Soup waiting for me. This isn’t just a bowl of soup, it’s comfort in a bowl.

Split Pea Soup is our favorite way to use leftover Baked Ham from the holidays, but you can make it without a ham bone, adding diced ham or bacon, or keep it vegetarian.

Ingredients for Split Pea Soup

I love making this soup with yellow split peas. I prefer the flavor over green split peas and love the appealing golden color. A green-tinged soup is a hard sell for my kids so this is perfect!

• Water and Chicken Stock – create the base for this hearty soup
• Ham – use diced ham or use your leftover bone from your Baked Ham. After cooking, the tender meat will fall right off the bone, and you can add it back into the soup.
• Split Peas – I prefer dry, golden split peas. They have a sweet flavor profile and are more visually appealing than green split peas (which is helpful, especially when serving kids). No need to soak for hours (or even at all), the peas soften to create a creamy and satisfying texture. You can substitute green split peas.
• Vegetables – potatoes, carrots, celery, yellow onion create the thick, flavorful base
• Flavor/Herbs – garlic, bay leaves, fresh dill or parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper

What are split peas?

Split peas are dried green or yellow peas that have split. Peas have two halves inside of their outer shell that make up the round pea, and during the drying process, they separate. Split peas become very tender during the cooking process creating a smooth texture. They are nutritious and a great addition to soups, stews, salads, and curries.

How to Make Split Pea Soup

• Sauté – Set a large soup pot or 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add ham (or ham hock), and sauté until golden brown then transfer to a plate.
Add olive oil and sauté chopped onion and celery until softened.
• Combine– Add stock, water, and rinsed peas. Add the ham back to the pot. Bring to a boil and skim off and discard any foam that rises to the top.
• Flavor and Simmer – Add thyme and bay leaves and season with salt. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes or until peas are almost dissolved. If using a ham hock, remove the bone from the soup, then shred the meat and return it to the pot.
• Simmer Additional Vegetables – Add chopped carrots and potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes or until the veggies are fork-tender.
• Season and Serve – Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. Press in the garlic, add dill or parsley, and immediately turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh herbs. Keep in mind it will thicken more as it cools.

What to Serve with Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is a hearty and satisfying meal on its own. We love pairing it with bread such as:

Can I Make Split Pea Soup in a Crockpot?

Add all of your ingredients to your slow cooker, reducing the water by half since not as much water will evaporate as it cooks. Cook on low heat for 7 hours.

More Hearty Soup Recipes

If you love this Split Pea Soup recipe, then you won’t want to miss these hearty soup recipes:

Split Pea Soup Recipe

This Split Pea Soup with ham is a nutritious blend of sweet golden peas and savory ham and vegetables creating a rich and flavorful dish that’s perfect for any cold winter day.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 cups diced ham or ham hock*, (10 oz)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock, *
• 8 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups yellow dry split peas*, rinsed and picked over (11-12 oz)
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 medium Yukon or red potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into half rings
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided, added to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Set a large soup pot or 5 1/2 qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add ham (or ham hock, and sautee until golden brown). Remove ham to a separate plate.

• Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté onion and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Add stock, water, and drained peas, and add ham back to the pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the top.

• Add thyme and bay leaves and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes or until peas are almost dissolved. If using a ham hock, remove bone from soup then shred the meat and put it back into the pot.

• Add carrots and potatoes and cook another 20 minutes or until veggies are fork-tender.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems.

• Press in the garlic, add dill or parsley, then immediately turn off the heat. Serve topped with crispy bacon and more fresh herbs.

*Variations:

• Ham Hock Bone -add the bone from a leftover ham directly to your pot with the split peas. Your soup will be infused with flavor and the meat left on the bone becomes so tender it falls right into the soup.
• Pork Riblets – You can cook pork riblets in the water with your split peas, just be sure to skim off any impurities and avoid boiling vigorously.
• Bacon – sautee bacon first then spoon it out and cook your veggies in the bacon fat. Serve garnished with browned crispy bacon.
• Bouillon Cubes – Instead of chicken stock, use the chicken or vegetable bouillon equivalent.
• Green Split Peas – if you aren’t able to find yellow split peas, the green ones will work in a pinch.

1serving Serving266kcal Calories40g Carbs16g Protein6g Fat1g Saturated Fat1g Polyunsaturated Fat3g Monounsaturated Fat15mg Cholesterol896mg Sodium628mg Potassium8g Fiber4g Sugar2576IU Vitamin A24mg Vitamin C52mg Calcium2mg Iron

Nutrition Facts

Split Pea Soup Recipe

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.