This classic Split Pea Soup recipe is made with a meaty ham bone, carrots, onions, potatoes, and has a thick and flavorful broth. It’s easy to make on the Stove Top, Instant Pot, or Crock Pot!
I realize that I’m making quite a claim when I say that this is the best split pea soup ever, but it really is. Just read through the comments, people are in love. There is no doubt in my mind that it could win awards.
The recipe comes from a super old cookbook that my mom has. The steps are simple, and so are the ingredients! This one even landed a coveted spot in The Cozy Cookbook, so you know it’s good!
How to Make it
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions, including the Crock Pot and Instant Pot cooking methods.
Add a meaty ham bone to a 4.5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot along with the rinsed split peas, onions, butter, olive oil, onion powder, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 2.5 hours or until desired thickness is obtained. (Higher altitudes will require longer cooking time.) Add the potatoes and carrots about 40 minutes prior to serving.
Remove from heat once the potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. Remove the ham bone and cut/shred 2 cups of ham from it and add it back to the soup. Serve!
Do You Need to Soak Split Peas
- Soaking split peas may decrease the cooking time slightly, but since they’re already halved and pretty thin, it’s not necessary. I don’t soak them for this recipe.
Using a Ham Bone
Using a meaty, uncleaned ham bone is what gives this soup it’s amazingly rich and savory flavor.
- If your ham bone is small, or you are using a ham bone substitute: Be prepared to add up to 4 chicken bouillon cubes to the broth to add more flavor if needed.
- If your bone doesn’t have much meat: You can also add a diced ham steak at the beginning of cooking. 1 (8oz.) steak = about 1 ¼ cups diced ham.
Ham Bone Substitutes
- Bone-in Picnic Shoulder or smoked ham shank
- Using a ham hock is the next best option.
- Chopped salted pork and/or chopped smoked bacon can also be substituted.
Pro Tips
- Unlike most soup recipes, the vegetables don’t need to be softened in butter/oil first. They float to the surface of the soup and cook/soften in the fat from the ham bone.
- The longer you simmer split pea soup, the more it thickens. Just make sure the temperature is low if you are going to simmer for several hours to avoid losing too much liquid.
- If you’re at a higher altitude, longer cooking time is required.
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Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- This soup does freeze and reheat very well, just ensure that the potatoes and carrots are cooked until just fork tender so that they don’t become too soft.
Tools For This Recipe
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- 4.5 quart Dutch oven – the perfect size for this recipe.
- 6 quart Crock Pot – This one is programmable and will automatically switch to warm when the cooking time is up.
- Instant Pot
- Soup Ladle (This is the one pictured in this recipe.)
- 16 oz. storage containers I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
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Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dry split peas, equal to 2 cups
- 1 ham bone, See notes for substitution options
- 2 cups ham, cut from the ham bone at the end.
- 2 cups onions, diced
- 1 ½ tablespoons onion powder, not teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 8 cups water
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
Equipment
Instructions
- Note: The split peas do not need to be soaked for this recipe.
Stove Top
- Add the uncleaned/meaty ham bone to a large soup pot along with the rinsed split peas, onions, onion powder, butter, olive oil, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme.
- Add the water and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, with the lid slightly cracked.
- Let the soup simmer for 2.5 hours or until desired thickness is obtained. Stir occassionally as it cooks to lift any settling on the bottom of the pot. (Note that higher altitudes may required 5 or more hours of simmering time.) The longer it simmers, the thicker and more flavorful it will get.
- Add the carrots and potatoes about 40 minutes prior to serving.
- Once the carrots and potatoes are fork tender, remove the ham bone, bay leaves, and thyme stems. Shred/cut 2 cups of ham from the bone and add it back to the soup. Serve and enjoy!
Instant Pot
- Rinse the peas. Add all of the ingredients to 6+ quart instant pot. Make sure the pot isn’t more than 2/3 full.
- Secure the lid and set it to cook on high (or press the ‘pressure cook’ button) for 25 minutes.
- Once finished, let 10-15 minutes pass before you trigger the quick release valve. This will allow most of the pressure to release naturally, allowing the soup to cook a little bit longer.
- Remove the ham bone, the bay leaves, and thyme stems. Slice/cut 2 cups of ham from the ham bone and add it back to the soup. Serve!
Slow Cooker
- Rinse the peas. Add all of the ingredients to a large Slow Cooker (5 quarts or larger).
- Cook on low for 8+ hours or on high for 6+ hours. It's ready to serve once the peas are tender and the soup has reached your desired level of thickness.
- Remove the ham bone, the bay leaves, and thyme stems. Slice/cut 2 cups of ham from the ham bone and add it back to the soup. Serve!
Notes
Using a Ham Bone:
Using a meaty, uncleaned ham bone is what gives this soup it's amazingly rich and savory flavor.- If your ham bone is small, or you are using a ham bone substitute: Be prepared to add up to 4 chicken bouillon cubes to the broth to add more flavor if needed.
- If your bone doesn't have much meat: You can also add a diced ham steak at the beginning of cooking. 1 (8oz.) steak = about 1 ¼ cups diced ham.
Ham Bone Substitutes:
- Bone-in Picnic Shoulder or smoked ham shank
- Using a ham hock is the next best option.
- Chopped salted pork and/or chopped smoked bacon can also be substituted.
Nutritional information is an estimate, and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
Nutrition
BOTH diced onions AND onion powder not used, right?
One OR the other, right? Please clarify. Thanks!
It’s not one or the other, you use both.
Thanks.
Thanks for clarifying that.
I use same ingredients
I use same ingredients, however I put nutmeg to my taste. Really adds the hearty to split pea soup
This really is the best split pea soup ever ! I didn’t add carrots bc I didn’t have any and I used beef broth instead of chicken only because I had need on hand . I made it with the ham bone in the crockpot . I did an hour on low , 2 on high and then switched back to low.
It was delicious !
Thank you cozy cook !
Hi Karen! WAHOOO I’m sooo happy to hear that! You made my day!!! -Stephanie
This is absolutely amazing! I’ve been wanting to make Split Pea Soup for a long time, but the thought of using dried peas scared me (silly me). Thank you for providing all of the cooking options. I used my Instant Pot to make mine this evening.
Awww you made my day!!!!
The celery is not listed in the ingredients but is mentioned in the write up. I missed putting the celery in there.
I’ve never used celery for this. The original says carrots and/or celery. You’re not missing a thing by skipping celery but carrots are crucial.
I also added fresh diced rosemary. Pork/Ham and rosemary are a great pairing! I sometimes add finely diced celery, too, if you appreciate that light flavor. If you have no ham, good thick sliced bacon diced is a nice substitute. I have found salt pork too salty for this dish.
Thanks for your suggestions and comments Sue, so nice of you to take the time, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Great recipe. I like to add fresh rosemary and garlic.
Hey Quincy!! So good to hear form you! Fresh rosemary and garlic are fantastic additions! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate! 🙌🏻
I need more stars!!! This is one of the best recipes I have ever made!! I have been making it since it was first published. It is sooooo good, I will eat it cold!! While it IS better hot, it is also great cold (ok…more room temp) in the summer months!! Everyone I have made this for has loved it too. I make it about every 6 wks or so. DELISH!!!
My tip – I rarely have a ham bone as I usually use the packaged diced ham. Goya makes a ham (Hamon) seasoning that is divine! I add 2-3 pkts to the pot to boost the ham flavor. It’s perfect!!
Hi Selene!! Thank you so so much for your kind words AND for your suggestion if you don’t have a ham bone!! That’s super helpful as the only time most people have them is if they just made a Christmas/Easter ham or something. I really appreciate you taking the time to rate and comment 🙂 Have a wonderful day! -Stephanie
Is it okay to double the recipe with 1 hambone?
Hi Kristen, I know that I am late in responding to this and I apologize for that, I’m usually able to respond more quickly. Doubling the recipe and using one ham bone is fine! 🙂
So delicious! I don’t even have to season it and it’s already taste perfect! Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Khuyen, I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe!! It’s definitely a keeper, thank you for taking the time to rate and comment! -Stephanie
OMG!… How good is that!… I’d never made pea soup before but decided to give this a try. I used bacon as that was what I had on hand. The flavor is tremendous and the soup thickened right up when I let the slow cooker run on low over night. The next morning, the soup was pure magic! Thank you for my new favorite!!!
I am SO happy that you enjoyed this Pea Soup! Honestly, this one is such a classic, it comes out so amazing every time! So happy that it worked well for you in the Crock Pot, what a wonderful smell to wake up to! (Hey with the bacon in there, I’d just count it as breakfast!)- Thanks for taking the time to rate and comment! -Stephanie