This Split Pea Soup with Ham recipe is by far the best we’ve ever had. You can make this soup on the stove top or in your slow cooker – with leftover ham, a ham bone or a ham steak from the store!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 1 (16 ounce) bag of split peas, rinsed
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 6 cups of water
- 1 ham bone from an 8-10 pound ham, with extra ham on the bone. (Can also use ham without a bone, See note)
- 3/4 pound extra diced ham (depending on how much ham is on your bone, you’ll want about 1 pound total)
- Croutons, crackers or buttered rolls for serving
Instructions
- Add the butter and olive oil to a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onions and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, cumin and thyme.
- Add the split peas, chicken stock and water to the pot and stir. Add the ham bone (or leftover ham or a diced ham steak) and the bay leaves (if using) and then bring the soup to a boil.
- Turn down the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- After cooking for an hour, check to see if the peas are tender. Usually you’ll need another 15-30 minutes, but just check the consistency of the peas after the first hour.
- When the peas are tender, remove the ham bone to a board to cool. Remove any extra ham from the ham bone and add it back to the soup along with the extra 3/4 pound diced ham. (If using all diced ham and no ham bone, you can add it all in the beginning)
- Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add butter and olive oil to a large skillet. Cook the onions, carrots and celery over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened. Add the vegetables to a large, 6 quart slow cooker.
- Add the salt, pepper, cumin, thyme, bay leave, split peas, chicken stock, water and ham bone or diced ham. Stir and cook on low heat for 8 hours or on high heat for 4 hours. Check to make sure the split peas are tender, then remove the ham bone from the slow cooker. Take off any ham left on the bone and add it to the soup. Remove the bay leaves and serve,
Recipe Notes
No ham bone? No problem. Use any leftover ham that you have or buy a ham steak from the grocery store. You’ll need approximately 1 pound of ham for this soup recipe. The ham bone does lend the best flavor to the soup but it’ll also be delicious without it.
Store: Store leftover soup in a container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, depending on how fresh your ham is when you made the soup. Reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stop top.
Freeze: let the soup cool and then transfer to containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave or on the stop top.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
