Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup doesn't have to take all day by boiling down a ham bone, although it is tasty when made that way. It can be a quick process and still taste just as good. It can also be made vegetarian by omitting the ham and using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ham, soup, split pea

Servings: cups

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

4 - 5 quart stock pot

Ingredients

1 cup yellow onion diced
1 cup celery diced
1 cup carrots diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh garlic minced
1 pound dried split peas
8 cups chicken stock or veggie stock
3 cups cooked ham diced,
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep vegetables and ham. Sort through split peas to ensure there are no rocks or dirt clods.
Add oil to a hot stockpot and add the veggies and a little black pepper. When onion is translucent, add the garlic, and stir a couple times. Add the split peas and stock of your choice.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for an hour stirring occasionally. After an hour, stir in the ham. Taste the soup to determine if you need more pepper. I usually wait until close to the end of the cooking process to determine if it needs salt. If using ham, you probably won’t need salt.
Leave uncovered and simmer, stirring occasionally for another 45 minutes to an hour to reach your desired thickness. I taste it every now and then and add more pepper if needed.
Serve as is or top with a peppered or plain Parmesan crisp, sour cream or chives.
Enjoy!

Notes

At the end of the cooking process you could throw in a couple handfuls of spinach, kale or arugula for some added nutrients.
Will make about 10 to 12 cups depending on how long you cook it to thicken the soup. I like a pretty thick split pea soup so I generally get about 10 cups.
This soup holds up well in the freezer. I save sour cream containers. They work perfect for putting soup in them and freezing.

Nutrition