Description
A hearty and comforting split pea soup made with tender split peas, ham hocks, and fresh vegetables. Perfect for a warming meal, this soup can be enjoyed chunky, partially pureed, or smooth according to your preference.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1 pound dried split peas
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 medium celery ribs, sliced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 4 cups water
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 ham hocks
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the peas: Place 1 pound of dried split peas in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Remove any debris or discolored peas, and drain well.
- Sauté vegetables: Melt 1/4 cup salted butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, sliced celery, and sliced carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add peas and liquids: Stir in the rinsed split peas, 4 cups of water, and 6 cups of chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the ham hocks and dried thyme.
- Simmer the soup: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the peas are tender and the ham can be easily removed from the bone.
- Prepare the ham: Remove the ham hocks from the pot. Shred the ham off the bone, discard the bones, and chop the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Adjust texture: For chunky soup, leave the soup as is and stir the shredded ham back in. For partially pureed soup, use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup while leaving chunks. For smooth soup, puree the soup fully using a blender or immersion blender.
- Finish and season: Stir the chopped ham back into the soup, taste, and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if necessary. Serve hot.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the ham hocks and chicken broth and use vegetable broth instead.
- Rinse split peas thoroughly to remove any dirt or impurities.
- Use an immersion blender carefully to avoid splattering hot soup.
- The soup thickens as it cools; add water or broth to adjust consistency before serving if needed.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day after flavors meld.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
