Split Pea and Ham Soup

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This Split Pea and Ham Soup is the ultimate budget-friendly comfort food, turning simple pantry staples into a hearty, protein-packed dinner your family will love. It’s a quick-prep, one-pot recipe perfect for busy weeknights when you need a healthy, filling meal without the high grocery bill.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 25

Total Time1 45

Course: Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 539kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium-large yellow onion chopped (about 1.5 cups)
2 ribs celery diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 (16-oz) bag dried split peas picked over and rinsed
3 ½ cups water or more as needed
3 cups low sodium chicken broth or more as needed
1 bay leaf optional
salt & pepper to taste
1 meaty ham bone OR 1 pound cooked and diced ham
½ pound Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into ⅓-inch pieces (optional)
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into ⅓-inch pieces (optional)
lemon juice and parsley optional to serve

Instructions

Sauté aromatics: 
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil and butter. Sauté the onion and celery for 5-8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds.
1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 medium-large yellow onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 cloves garlic
Start soup: 
Stir the split peas into the pot, then add the water, chicken broth and bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper (the ham will add saltiness, so go easy here.) Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
1 (16-oz) bag dried split peas, 3 ½ cups water, 3 cups low sodium chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, salt & pepper
Simmer soup:
 Uncover and stir, then nestle the ham bone into the soup (or stir in the diced ham.) Cover and continue simmering for about 1 hour, until the ham and peas are tender.
If using carrots and potatoes, add for the last 20 minutes of cooking. Adjust water/broth to get the consistency of your preference. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes if you like a very thick soup.
1 meaty ham bone, ½ pound Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 medium carrots
Shred ham: 
If using a ham bone, remove the ham bone from the soup and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, then shred the ham. If peas and vegetables are not fully cooked yet, allow them to continue simmering until done. Taste the soup and adjust salt/pepper as needed.
Finish and serve: 
Stir ham into the soup, allow to heat through and serve with a splash of lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
lemon juice and parsley

Nutrition