As with a lot of roasts I sometimes think that I have more fun with the ham leftovers than the initial meal and I always like to start off with that precious ham bone! The ham bone is perfect for simmering for hours in soups and stocks to bring out all of its flavour imparting it into the soup. You can use a ham bone in a lot of different soups but my favourite has to be the classic split pea soup which is a bowl of comfort food on a chilly day. With the days getting colder I knew that I would be using the bone from the gingersnap crusted ham that I made last week and it was the perfect opportunity to update my split pea soup recipe with some new photos!
This split pea soup is super easy to make where you really just need to saute some vegetables, throw everything into the pot along with the ham bone and then simmer for a few hours letting all of the flavours come out while the split peas cook. I like to go with a ham broth for this soup but chicken broth or vegetable broth also work. If you have any leftover ham meat, it makes a great addition and I like to finish everything of with a hit of grainy mustard and lemon juice.
Serve garnished with a bit of ham and grainy mustard.
Split Pea Soup
A bowl of a good split pea soup is pure comfort food and a great way to enjoy that leftover ham bone!
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 6 cups ham broth or chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 pound split peas, picked over
- 1 ham bone
- 2 bay leaves
- salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
directions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the liquid, split peas, ham bone and bay leaves, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the spit peas are soft and just starting to fall apart, about 1-2 hours.
- Remove the ham bone and bay leaves, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste, mix in the mustard and lemon juice and optionally puree with hand blender to desired consistency.
Option: Add a parmesan rind to simmer in the soup and remove before serving.
Option: Add two cups diced ham at the end and cook for 5 more minutes.
Option: Add one cup fresh or frozen peas at the end and cook for 5 more minutes.
Option: Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
Option: Serve garnished with grainy mustard, sour cream, paprika, ham, etc.
Option: For vegetarian use vegetable broth and omit the ham bone.
Vicki says
January 7, 2008 at 5:05 amI love pea soup! If you ever come across whole dried peas, instead of split, give those a try. It gives the soup a whole different texture.
maybahay says
January 7, 2008 at 12:06 pmnot soup weather here but will keep it in mind for a cold night. sounds mighty tasty.
Sylvia says
January 7, 2008 at 12:57 pmFor ower winter is special. I saved to make in cold days. Sounds delicious Kevin
Peter M says
January 7, 2008 at 1:33 pmKevin, you right – the canned varieties suck, no taste.
This however looks great and I’m sure it’s tasty with that ham.
Bellini Valli says
January 7, 2008 at 2:13 pmFrench Canadian Pea Soup has always been one of my favourites Kevin, even from a can…vive la “Habitant”.
Cynthia says
January 7, 2008 at 2:37 pmKevin thanks for reminding me of this soup. I have a ham bone left over from the holidays and I know what I am going to do with it 🙂
Nora B. says
January 7, 2008 at 2:48 pmYour pea soup looks so comforting.
Alas, your post came too late. I think the ham-man threw the bone out. He went through 2 legs of ham last month!
Nora B. says
January 7, 2008 at 2:51 pmp/s: just came to mind that this would make a good entry for the Legume food event that Susan of The well-seasoned cook is hosting:
http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-legume-love-affair-event.html
Deborah says
January 7, 2008 at 4:03 pmI love split pea soup! This reminds me that I haven’t made it in a long time…
Proud Italian Cook says
January 7, 2008 at 6:26 pmNice photo of your delicious looking soup Kevin!
JennDZ - The Leftover Queen says
January 7, 2008 at 6:42 pmI love split pea soup! So warming and filling!
Anonymous says
January 7, 2008 at 10:14 pmThe ham bone makes all the difference, doesn’t it, Kevin? Great dish.
Greg says
January 7, 2008 at 10:28 pmSplit Pea Soup. So under rated. Wonderful stuff and it looks like you’ve mastered it.
Pam says
January 8, 2008 at 12:32 amI have been thinking about trying a split pea soup, I keep hearing good things about it, but I’ve never tried it.
Ferdzy says
January 8, 2008 at 12:50 amMmm, pea soup. Always a winter favourite.
Susan says
January 8, 2008 at 3:02 amI’m so glad the very first entry to “My Legume Love Affair” is an old-time classic. No better use for a ham bone. Thanks for joining in, Kevin!
Anonymous says
January 16, 2008 at 10:32 pmi have to be honest, i have never like pea soup, but when my girlfriend found this recipe and made it for me…holly hell! It was an amazing recipe. We get our veggies from Celebrity Foods and this was a great twist to our meals! Thank you!
Meg Wolff says
February 20, 2008 at 1:13 pmSplit pea is one of my favorites too. I found your site through The Well Seasoned Cook. And you are right … much better with fresh ingredients!
Anonymous says
January 20, 2009 at 12:41 amHi Kevin, such a pleasure to stop by any time. Just a hint – try lovage instead of parsley, it works wonders with pea soup.
Anonymous says
March 19, 2009 at 1:57 pmGreat idea to add the frozen whole peas for texture at the end… I’m going to try that next time I make mine:
http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/03/19/split-pea-and-asparagus-soup/
Thanks!
Fred says
February 25, 2010 at 10:25 pmMade my first pot ever of split-pea soup. After simmering for three hours the peas maintained their original shape and character…not thickened and almost pureed as I have always experienced. What did I do wrong?
Kevin says
February 26, 2010 at 12:11 pmFred: Normally the peas should be cooked after 2-3 hours and have that thickened pureed texture. It might be possible that you had a particularly old batch of peas… In this situation you could use an immersion blender to puree them.
brooke says
September 27, 2011 at 11:35 pmwhy did you complement the dried peas with frozen ones?
Christen says
December 21, 2011 at 8:22 pmKevin; thanks for the great recipe. I just had a bowl of split pea and ham soup, adding the cracked red pepper and the frozen peas added the texture and spice that made this soup above the others. Christen
Katy, TX
Anonymous says
September 22, 2012 at 11:32 amKind Greetings Kevin!
I recently used your recipe as a loose reference.. turned out great. Thanks for the recipe and idea!
Here's the outcome…
http://dellacucinapovera.com/2012/09/18/ham-pea-soup/
Tieghan says
November 25, 2013 at 1:31 pmI just made my first ham a few days ago and have been searching for what to do with the bone. SO exited for this soup!
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says
November 25, 2013 at 1:33 pmHomemade split pea soup is the best! Great recipe, Kevin!
Marian (Sweetopia) says
November 25, 2013 at 4:01 pmSo nice to see a split pea soup recipe in blog land! Love it!
Arica Hun says
November 25, 2013 at 5:23 pmHave never heard of mustard being a garnish on soup before. Somehow you made split pea look photogenic and appetizing though! I'd like a bowl (or two) pls
atelier zozo
vanillasugarblog says
November 25, 2013 at 8:59 pmLOVE the addition of the mustard seed in there!
Good call Kevin!
Nancy A says
November 25, 2013 at 11:34 pmThis is weird, I just recently discovered I like split pea soup and wished for a good recipe. And, here it is! I had never eaten it before and over the weekend had a bowl and was it ever good!
Aimee @ Simple Bites says
November 26, 2013 at 1:22 amThis is what we need for cold November days. Thanks Kevin!
ChristineLV says
November 26, 2013 at 2:04 amI just made Split Pea Soup after our Thanksgiving Fellowship at church. I saw a recipe that used Herbs de Provence and I had a blend, so I tried it. It is really good although the herbs seem to be a bit overbearing with the first couple bites, then seem to mellow out. I may have had a too heavy hand. But overall, a success!
marla says
November 26, 2013 at 2:16 amWay better than the dinner I had tonight!!
Anonymous says
November 26, 2013 at 2:41 amLove split pea soup. I'm on a soup kick so will have to do this next. When my daughter was little she wouldn't eat peas do when I made split pea soup I would blend it smooth and call it ham soup and she would eat it until she somehow figured out it was peas and never ate it again.
Anonymous says
November 26, 2013 at 4:37 amNever heard of ham broth!
Is it the juices from the cooked ham or does it come in a can, like chicken broth.
kevin says
November 26, 2013 at 10:01 amAnonymous: Here is how I make the ham broth https://www.closetcooking.com/2013/03/ham-broth-and-how-to-cook-smoked-and.html
Julie @ Table for Two says
November 26, 2013 at 6:59 pmThis is one of my favorite comfort food soups!!
Kristin Nicole says
November 27, 2013 at 4:42 amI have never been a huge fan of split pea soup, but I have to say this looks DELISH! This used to be my dad's favorite growing up, maybe if I make this, instead of the canned soup he will eat it! 😉 haha
Sarah says
December 2, 2013 at 6:59 pmI've always loved split pea soup and this is pretty much how I grew up eating it, but the mustard, cayenne, and lemon juice at the end really add something special to this soup!
Joanne says
January 12, 2014 at 6:33 pmOne of my favorite soups! Thanks!
Michelle Sowards says
January 15, 2014 at 3:24 pmI love split pea soup and am using this recipe today. I'm doing mine one the crock pot. One question, I love small drop dumplings in mine, is it possible to do them in the crock pot?
kevin says
January 15, 2014 at 3:40 pmMichelle Sowards: Drop dumplings will work, 20 minutes from when you want to eat crank the slow cooker up to high and drop in the dumplings and let cook until the dumplings are ready, maybe 10-20 minutes.
Anonymous says
January 25, 2014 at 11:47 pmCumin also works well in split pea soup.
Carol says
March 12, 2019 at 7:51 pmLovely recipe and great photography. Really. You took a bowl of green mush and made it look inviting, not easy to do.
On a separate note: I like to add a dash of cooking sherry with a touch of sour cream when serving split pea soup. It takes it from soup to an experience. Try it, you’ll see.