This Smoky Split Pea & Ham Soup is the perfect cozy meal on a chilly day! Green split peas serve as the velvety base for this soup packed with smoky ham, tender carrots, and delicious aromatics.
Soup’s On
There is something so comforting about a warm bowl of soup. A whole meal, in one cozy bowl! Add a slice of toasted bread, and this turns in to a delicious site that’s tough to beat.
I love having a pot simmering on the stove, filling my house with its mouthwatering aroma. In times like these, when we’re spending a whole lot of time at home, having more flexibility to cook something low and slow sounds pretty darn appealing.
I made this soup out of need to do something with the leftover Easter ham bones I had following not one, but TWO Easter hams. For just my husband and I. Allow me to remind you that I create recipes to share you fine folks, and sometimes, having more ham than one knows what to do with is simply a complication of the job.
That said, I knew I wanted to make something that capitalized on the smokiness of the ham that my husband grilled, and I couldn’t get Split Pea Soup off of my mind.
The decision was made!
How To Make Split Pea Soup
So before I get started on just HOW to make this scrumptious soup, I need to say something. This soup is so simple. Really, it is! And no, I’m not just saying that!
For some reason I expected this classic recipe to take WAY longer to cook down in to the velvety stew it became. It still needs a solid 1 1/2 hours on the stove, but as I’m working from home right now, this is a welcome afternoon respite as the countdown to “What’s for dinner?” begins.
It’s simple:
- Onions and garlic get a quick sauté in some olive oil.
- In goes celery, bay leaf, split peas, thyme, and the ham bone (see note if you don’t have one!).
- Top with the liquid, and away we go! Simmer simmer.
- Add some carrots, remove the meat from the bone (it should FALL off after all that time cookin’), and start prepping your toppings.
- Dish up, sprinkle with herbs, maybe a few crack of fresh black pepper, and grab a slice of toasted Fresh Rosemary and Garlic Bread.
- Try not to go back for seconds.
(That last step is an important one, but I’ll forgive you if you break it).
Words. Escape. Me.
If ham or split peas aren’t your jam, here are a few of my other favorite cozy soups!
- Roasted Root Vegetable Soup
- Apple and Brie Soup with Bacon and Pumpkin Seed Granola
- French Onion Soup
- Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Homemade Chicken Stock (for all of your soup making needs!)
- Summer Corn & Poblano Chowder
Tried this recipe for Smoky Split Pea & Ham Soup and loved it? Use the hashtag #sohappyyoulikedit and tag @sohappyyoulikedit on social media so I can see your creations!
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Items Used In This Recipe:
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Smoky Split Pea and Ham Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves galic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 16 oz bag dry green split peas
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kithcen twine
- 4 cups broth, (use what you have - I used chicken!)
- 4 cups water
- 1 - 1 1/2 lb meaty ham bone, or 3 cups chopped ham
- 2 cups carrots, sliced
Instructions
- In a large cast iron or soup pot add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and garlic and sautre until fragrant, about one minute.
- Add celery, split peas, bay leaf, and fresh thyme. If you're using a ham bone, add this now. Using a bone adds so much flavor - I high recommend! If you only have sliced ham, that's ok! Reserve for later - don't add now.
- Top with broth and water, bringing to a light simmer. Cover and cook about 1 1/2 hours, stirring sporadically.
- After soup has cooked for 1 1/2 hours, add sliced carrots. If you didn't have a ham bone and are using sliced ham, now is the time to add it! If your ham wasn't particluarly smoky, I highy recommend adding a drop or two of liquid smoke. A little goes a long way - so don't over do it! Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes until carrots are soft.
- Reove from heat, and taste. Adjust seasoning, though I doubt you'll need salt!