There's nothing like classic split pea soup to satisfy your comfort food craving. This split pea soup recipe is complete with ham, hearty veggies, and simple seasonings.
Split Pea Soup Ingredients
These are the ingredients you'll need to make this top-rated split pea soup recipe:
- Dried split peas: Find dried split peas on the dried beans and rice aisle.
- Cold water: Soak the peas for at least eight hours in cold water. You'll also need two quarts of cold water for the soup itself.
- Ham bone: A ham bone is cooked with the peas, adding a wonderfully meaty flavor.
- Vegetables: You'll need two onions, three carrots, three celery stalks, and one potato.
- Spices and seasonings: This split pea soup recipe is seasoned with salt, black pepper, and dried marjoram.
How to Make Split Pea Soup
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below – but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade split pea soup:
- Soak, drain, and rinse the split peas. Place them in a pot.
- Add the water, ham bone, onions, and seasonings to the pot.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 90 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the ham bone and return the meat to the pot.
- Add the vegetables and cook until the vegetables are tender.
How to Quickly Soak Split Peas
If you need a faster method, bring water and peas to a boil in a large pot. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for one hour. Drain and rinse before using.
How to Thicken Split Pea Soup
The potato should make your split pea soup perfectly thick and creamy. However, if the soup is still too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up with full-fat cream (though it may alter the flavor a bit) or a cornstarch slurry.
Recipe Tip
To make a cornstarch slurry: Add one tablespoon of cornstarch to one tablespoon of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk until thick. Stir into the simmering soup and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the soup reaches the desired consistency.
Learn more: How to Thicken Soups
How to Store Split Pea Soup
Allow the split pea soup to cool, then transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Can You Freeze Split Pea Soup?
Yes, you can freeze split pea soup with ham for up to three months. Ladle the cooled soup into zip-top bags, but leave about an inch of room at the top (the soup will expand as it freezes). Squeeze out the excess air, seal, wrap the bag in foil, and freeze flat.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
"I really enjoy this soup," says boriskarlof. "It is easy to make and so versatile. I added a lot of herbs because I wanted the soup to taste like my mom's pea soup. She used a ham bone, and I used ham steaks. It tasted the same."
"This is my all time favorite recipe for split pea soup," raves JESSICA OKAL. "I have tried several recipes and I always go back to this one. This recipe also works well in my pressure cooker."
"I am so happy that this is basically the same recipe that my mom used to make," according to Kurt Jeffers. "I never thought that a recipe could ever really bring back those special moments from your youth. This one did."
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
