Dad's Split Pea Soup With Ham
This split pea soup recipe has been in my family for decades. With only a few ingredients including smoky ham, it’s easy to prepare for lunch or dinner any day of the week – and is just as delicious made ahead!
Servings: 7 medium portions
Equipment
- Immersion blender (or blender or potato masher depending on desired consistency)
Ingredients
- 8 cups (low-sodium) chicken broth 2 quarts
- 1 ½ pounds smoked ham steak or other boneless cut diced into roughly ½” cubes
- 1 pound green split peas
- 1 pound carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 pound celery hearts roughly chopped
- 2 medium sweet onions roughly chopped
- 1 medium head garlic all cloves peeled and smashed with the side of your knife
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients (split peas, chopped carrots, celery and onion, smashed garlic, diced ham, bay leaf, and chicken broth) to a large pot.
- Cover, and bring soup to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn to a gentle simmer over low heat. Let simmer, covered, for 90 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- After 90 minutes, peas will have disintegrated. Remove bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use either a potato masher (for chunky soup), an immersion blender (for semi-chunky soup), or a blender (smooth soup) to blend to desired texture. I use an immersion blender and blend directly in the pot (see video below for technique), so I can leave about 1/3 of the diced ham and carrot intact, blending the rest into a creamy, uniform soup. If you’re using a potato masher, mash directly in the pot to desired consistency. For smooth soup, place all soup in a blender and blend on medium until uniform and creamy.
- Serve with more black pepper (and warm rolls if you’re feeling it!).
Video
Notes
- See my post above for garnishes and serving suggestions.
- Use about 1.5 to 2 pounds of ham for this recipe.
- You won't taste the garlic. It only enhances the flavor of the soup!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1429mg | Potassium: 1688mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 11215IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 5mg