Split Pea Soup
An easy recipe for classic split pea soup flavored with thyme and a smoked ham hock, with the option to make it vegetarian.
Serves4
It’s soup weather, and split pea soup is one of my personal favorites! It’s so easy to whip up, you’ll never eat it from a can again. This one is flavored with thyme and a smoked ham hock, with the option to make it vegetarian.
Do Split Peas Need to Be Soaked Before Cooking?
Nope! Split peas, which are field peas that are hulled and then split in half along the natural seam, soften when cooked, eliminating the need to presoak. They turn very creamy when cooked through.
Why Are My Split Peas Not Softening?
In this soup, the peas should be soft after about 1 to 1 1/2 hours cooking time. If you take a taste after this time and they haven’t softened, your peas are likely stale. Buy a fresh batch before making the soup again.
Tester’s Notes
To be honest, I’ve always been on the fence about split pea soup, as it always seemed a bit ho-hum to me, but this recipe changed my opinion. It’s a humble soup, sure, but one that’s bursting with flavor, thanks to the smoked ham hock that simmers away with the split peas. While you can surely leave it out if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you’ll loose that smoky depth. I added the option to toss a big pinch of smoked paprika into the pot in its place in order to mimic the effect.
– Sheela, April 2018
Split Pea Soup
An easy recipe for classic split pea soup flavored with thyme and a smoked ham hock, with the option to make it vegetarian.
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
- 1
medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 stalks
celery, diced
- 3
medium carrots, peeled and sliced or diced
- 2
bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon
fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups
dried green split peas
- 6 cups
low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1
smoked ham hock or ham bone, or 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot (about 4 quarts) over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until the onions are soft. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Add the split peas and stir to combine. Add the broth and the ham hock/ham bone or smoked paprika and bring to a boil.
Turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Check on the soup. The peas should be creamy and soft, but not so thick that it's like a pea loaf. If it's getting too thick, add a little more broth or water. The soup is ready when the peas are soft, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours cooking time.
Using tongs, transfer the ham onto a cutting board and let cool slightly. Remove the meat from the bones, shred, and stir back into the soup (discard the bones and any skin). Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed, as well as more smoked paprika, if using, if you prefer a stronger smoky taste. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.