Homemade split pea soup with ham

Split peas are fabulous because they’re both cheap and widely available (in various forms). You can use green dried peas or the yellow variety. Typically the yellow peas are easier to find, but green peas are often slightly sweeter and tend to help thicken the soup more. In all honesty, whatever you have in your pantry, or whatever you can find most easily and cost effectively from the store will be absolutely fine.

For the ham, too, you have some options. See what’s available from your local butcher or grocery store, but I like to use ham hocks, the meat from leg ham, and even bacon will work. (If you use bacon, you might need to use a little less salt!)

Be aware that this soup will take some time to make because you need to soak the peas overnight. However, if you can prepare the peas the night before, making the soup itself is actually pretty time efficient.

You might also like some of my other tasty soups:

• Chicken and sweet corn soup recipe
• Homemade pumpkin soup

Ingredients

• 500g split peas
  • green variety if available, otherwise the yellow kind are just fine.
• water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 litres (8 cups) stock
• 3 bacon bones OR 4 chopped bacon rashers
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stick celery, sliced
• 3 parsley sprigs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• paprika
• grated cheese
• bread croutons

Directions

• Cover peas with cold water and soak overnight (or at least for a good few hours). Drain peas and discard the liquid.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan, add onion, cook till lightly browned.
• Add stock, peas, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, salt, pepper, bacon.
• Bring to the boil, cover, simmer 2½ to 3 hours – stir occasionally. Cool slightly, remove bones.
• Blend mixture till smooth in a blender or food processor. Return to saucepan, bring to the boil.
• Sprinkle soup with paprika and cheese, serve with small croutons of toast.

Best ever pea and ham soup

A perfect homemade soup for winter!  Total comfort food, this soup warms you to the core.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Soaking Time 8 hours hrs

Course Soup

Cuisine British

Servings 4 people

Calories 238 kcal

Equipment

• Large saucepan/ pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound split peas (500 grams) green variety if available, otherwise the yellow kind are just fine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 8 cups stock (2 litres)
• 1 pound ham (500 grams) substitute with bacon if necessary
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stick celery, sliced
• 3 sprigs parsley
• 1 pinch paprika
• grated cheese
• bread croutons

Instructions

 

• Cover peas with cold water and soak overnight (or at least for a good few hours). Drain peas and discard the liquid.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan, add onion, cook till lightly browned.
• Add stock, peas, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, salt, pepper, bacon.
• Bring to the boil, cover, simmer 2½ to 3 hours – stir occasionally. Cool slightly, remove bones.
• Blend mixture till smooth in a blender or food processor. Return to saucepan, bring to the boil.
• Sprinkle soup with paprika and cheese, serve with small croutons of toast.

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I hope you love my homemade split pea soup with ham as much as my family does – please let me know in the comments below how you go making it!

Until next time…
Love & comfort food, Bella X