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Hearty Split Pea Soup with Ham Bone

Close-up of a thick, green pea soup in a white bowl, garnished with shredded ham and visible carrot pieces.
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A thick, comforting split pea soup recipe made with a ham bone for deep flavor, adaptable for stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound dried green split peas, rinsed
  • 1 smoked ham bone (about 1 pound)
  • 6 cups water or chicken broth
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (if not using ham bone for initial sauté)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the split peas thoroughly under cold water.
  2. If using the stovetop method, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  3. Add the rinsed split peas, ham bone, water or broth, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper to the pot.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the peas are very tender and the soup has thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  5. Remove the ham bone. Once cool enough to handle, shred any usable meat from the bone and return it to the soup. Discard the bone and bay leaf.
  6. For Instant Pot: Combine all ingredients (except oil) in the pot. Cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure. Remove ham bone and shred meat.
  7. For Slow Cooker: Combine all ingredients (except oil) in the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours. Remove ham bone and shred meat.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt if needed (ham bone adds significant salt). Serve hot.

Notes

  • For a vegetarian or vegan version, omit the ham bone and use vegetable broth. Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika for depth of flavor.
  • If the soup is too thick, add more broth or water until you reach your desired consistency.
  • If you do not have a ham bone, use 1 cup of diced smoked ham and 6 cups of vegetable or chicken broth, omitting the initial sauté step if desired.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishdreams.com/pea-soup-recipe-split-ham-instant-pot/