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Ham And Split Pea Soup is a delicious use of leftover holiday ham and today I’m bringing you an easy and hearty soup that you can eat like a meal. Baked ham makes great leftover sandwiches but when all the large slices are gone and you get close to the bone, all there’s left are small pieces of ham, that’s when I love to make this soup.

A white bowl of Split Pea and Ham Soup

Using the leftover ham bone

Once all the ham meat is eaten don’t throw away that bone. Add the leftover ham bone to the soup as it cooks for extra ham flavor. Don’t forget to remove the bone before serving. 

If your ham is boneless, the soup will still be delicious. You don’t always have to use leftover ham to make this soup. I’ve used ham steaks or a small boneless ham. To get extra smoky flavor, you could add smoked sausage.

A collection of the ingredients

Ham and Split Pea Soup FAQ’s

Are split peas just regular peas?

Where you would think that split peas are just dried fresh peas, this is not the case. Split peas come from field peas, that are specifically grown to be dried. 

Do split peas need to be soaked before cooking?

It is not necessary, but soaking overnight will reduce cooking time.

Step by step photos

How to Make Ham and Split Pea Soup – In 6 Easy Steps

  • Step 1 – Soften the vegetables (onions, carrots, celery) in oil
  • Step 2– Add the ham
  • Step 3 – Add the split peas 
  • Step  4– Mix in chicken stock
  • Step 5 – Add bay leaf
  • Step 6 – Cover and simmer

Ham and Split Pea Soup in the Slow Cooker

This is the perfect ‘set-it and forget-it’ slow cooker soup. You can add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or until the peas are tender.

Freezing Ham and Split Pea Soup

This Ham and Split Pea Soup freezes really well too and will keep well sealed for up to 3 months. I like to stock pile my freezer and I have a filling, hearty meal whenever I’m craving soup. Freeze in individual serving containers so thawing is easier and quicker this way, you’ll be to thaw as many portions as you need at the time.

A bowl of green pea soup with ham and carrots

More Soup Recipes:

Chefs Tips

  • Some people like the soup thicker, some like it thinner. This is a personal choice so you will need adjust the liquid accordingly.
  • You will need to be mindful of the sodium level. You’ll notice there is no added salt because there is salt in the ham, ham bone and the stock.

If you’ve made this Ham and Split Pea Soup or any other recipe leave a comment below. I love to hear from my readers!

Yield: 10

Ham and Split Pea Soup

Chunks of ham, carrots split peas and potato on a spoon

Leftover ham is cooked with carrots and split peas.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 12 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 22 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ cups (350 ml) cooked ham, diced small
  • 1 pound (453 grams) green split peas, rinsed
  • 8 cups (4 pints) low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • Leftover ham bone (optional)
  • 1 cup (150 grams) potatoes, peeled and cubed

Instructions

  1. In a large soup pan or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper, stir to mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add the diced ham, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the green split peas, chicken stock, bay leaf and ham bone.
  2. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 1 hour or until peas are soft and broken down. If you are using potatoes, add them 30 minutes into the simmering. Check periodically to make sure liquid doesn't evaporate too quickly. If it does, add more stock or water to thin it out.
  3. Test for seasoning and if it needs salt, add to taste. 

Notes

I have adjusted the recipe to add salt only if needed at the end since a lot of hams have different salt levels and you may not need any.

If you like the soup thicker, cook the peas longer and mash them to help thicken.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 267Saturated Fat 1gCholesterol 7mgSodium 347mgCarbohydrates 37gProtein 16g
© Janette
Cuisine: American / Category: Dinner Ideas