Homestyle Ham Soup (Printable Recipe Version)
A warm, hearty soup combining soft split peas, savory ham, and fresh veggies. Three easy cooking options for a perfectly simple meal.
# Ingredients You’ll Need:
01 -
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups).
02 -
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
03 -
3 celery stalks, chopped (1 1/4 cups).
04 -
1 garlic clove, minced (1 teaspoon).
05 -
4 cups of water.
06 -
4 cups of chicken stock, unsalted.
07 -
16 ounces of split peas, dried, picked through, and rinsed.
08 -
2 bay leaves.
09 -
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
10 -
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, chopped.
11 -
Meaty ham shank or ham bone (1 1/2 lb).
12 -
1 cup of carrots, diced.
13 -
Optional topping: chopped fresh parsley.
# Steps to Make It:
01 -
Warm up olive oil in a big pot on medium-high heat. Toss in celery and onions, stirring for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic next and stir for another minute.
02 -
Pour water and chicken broth into the pot. Mix in thyme, split peas, bay leaves, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
03 -
Drop the ham bone into the soup base. Let it come to a boil, then switch to low heat. Cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/3 hours until the peas and ham are nice and soft.
04 -
Pull the ham from the soup. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then dice or shred into small bits and set aside under a cover.
05 -
Toss the carrots into the soup. Keep the pot covered and simmer until most of the peas break down, which takes around half an hour.
06 -
Add back the ham pieces and give it a taste, adjusting salt as necessary. Serve warm, and sprinkle parsley on top if you'd like.
# Extra Information:
01 -
For a chunkier version, toss in potatoes with the carrots.
02 -
Let it simmer without a lid at the end if you'd like it thicker.
03 -
Soup thickens naturally as it cools off.
04 -
You can also use a slow cooker (7-8 hours on low) or an Instant Pot (15 minutes pressure + natural release).