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
The soup came out AMAZING ! Added to my stash of awesome recipes ! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hey Anna! Wahooo!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this soup! It’s suchhhh a favorite of mine! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Soar! Once again an amazing recipe from the Cozy cook! My family absolutely enjoyed this Pea Soup! I will be saving this recipe!
Hey Candy! I meant to respond to this yesterday, I’m SO happy that you enjoyed this pea soup recipe!! 🙂 Thank you SO SO much for taking the time to leave a comment, you are the BEST!!! -Stephanie
So this is the only recipe I use and it is amazing!!! I have cooked it multiple times. I’m making it tomorrow with my leftover ham bone, however all I was able to find is yellow split peas. I went to 4. Do you know if there’s a difference difference between yellow and green??
Hey Samantha! You can definitely use yellow. It will look and taste SLIGHTLY different but it’s still a great way to make use of that ham bone! You might even like it better! So happy you like this recipe, take take of yourself! -Stephanie
Hello, I’m about to cook this recipe but noticed in the video you used chicken broth and the ham bone . Should I use both and if so how much chicken broth ? Greatly appreciate your response.
Hey Anna! Sorry about that- I used to do 1/2 chicken broth and 1/2 water. But a nice meaty ham bone adds so much flavor to the soup that I’ve found that chicken broth isn’t necessary and can sometimes put it over the top. So if you’ve got a nice big ham bone and have the time to let it simmer for a while, I would leave out the chicken broth! 🙂 ENJOY!! -Stephanie
Thank you for responding !
A year ago I posted that I was the non believer in ham and split pea soup, that was until I came across THIS recipe!…I made a pot of soup last night and everything is right with the world again 🙂 ( at least in my kitchen it is) …thanks again for “the best” ham and split pea soup recipe 🙂 !! Stay safe everyone!
Hey Michelle! Do you know, I REMEMBER that comment from last year?! HAHA! I just was excited to have converted you! So happy you made it again this year, and thank you for saying hello again! You’re the best. You stay safe too my friend! -Stephanie
I made this tonight because I had a ham bone from Easter. First time making split pea soup. It was outstanding!!! The only thing I forgot to add was the potato, but didn’t miss it.
Hey Cathy!!! Wahooooo! That is excellent to hear, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!!! I’ve forgotten the potato too before, it’s easy to do when you start smelling the soup!!!
I made this today and it was great
Excellent!! I’m sooo happy to hear that Donna and really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, you are the BEST! Enjoy your soup! -Stephanie
This recipe seems like it would be too much to fit in the instant pot. I have an 8 quart pot but with 8 cups of water to begin with and all the vegetables and ham?
Hi Sharon! My family makes this in the Instant Pot often and several prior comments are from readers who did the same, so you’ll be fine! Just make sure that the contents doesn’t go above the MAX line inside of the Instant Pot. Enjoy! 🙂 -Stephanie
Making as I type this. Can’t wait for a big bowl tomorrow. I forgot to pick up fresh thyme at the store. should I use dried or just leave it out?
Hey Melissa! Wooo!! You’re going to love this! Dried thyme is perfect, go for it! 🙂 Enjoy this soup, you’re going to love it!
This is my second time making this soup. Because a friend of mine said this is the best split pea soup he has ever had! I had to make him his own batch! He is elderly and I thought this would be a wonderful gift for him. I use the Crock Pot method, and its perfect! Thank you for helping me make a meal special!!!
Hey Juliann! I’m SO happy that you love this soup, and even happier that you used it to make your neighbor a special meal during this extremely difficult time. That was so incredibly kind of you and it’s funny because I made my elderly neighbors a batch of this soup as well! It’s just so comforting. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! Stay safe!! -Stephanie