Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published October 30, 2019. Updated February 23, 2021

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Homemade Split Pea Soup, just like mom made growing up! This hearty, protein packed, comforting soup is made with tender split peas, flavorful ham and fresh vegetables. It’s easy to make and perfect for the cold weather.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (1)

Split Pea Soup Recipe

So what makes the best split pea soup? Well first off making it from scratch of course. Let’s ditch the can of condensed split pea soup shall we? Because this low and slow simmered version is a hundred times better!

How to Video Split Pea Soup

Second a leftover meaty ham bone is that special ingredient that really flavors this soup. The bone of the ham and the meat adds so much flavor, plus it puts it to good use. Much better than just tossing it.

And beginning with a whole bag of dry split peas yields a full bodied soup with the perfect consistency and texture.

This recipe is all about going back to the old fashioned basics and that’s what really makes it so good. There’s just something about the classic staple recipes like this that is just so satisfying.

It’s the food that reminds us of being back home that will follow us through life, those foods almost as if wishing us well through good memories. When I was younger and getting over a bad cold or something it was often split pea soup I asked mom to make for me. It’s just a true comfort food staple.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (2)

Split Pea Soup Ingredients:

  • Olive oil – this is used to saute the vegetables, butter can be substituted.
  • Yellow onion, celery, carrots and garlic – these vegetables built up the background flavors of the soup. They add some nice color too.
  • Chicken broth and water – I like to use half chicken broth and half water (vs. all broth) so it doesn’t overpower the delicate flavor of the peas.
  • Dried split peas – it’s a common misconception to believe split peas need to be soaked before cooking, no soaking is necessary. But you do want to pick over (check for pebbles and debris) and rinse and drain them.
  • Bay leaves, thyme and parsley – fresh or dry herbs work well here.
  • Salt and pepper – I like to wait to add majority of salt until the ham has cooked with the soup, some hams tend to be very salty while others not as much so if you wait you won’t over-salt the soup.
  • Ham bone – this soup is such a great use for a leftover meaty ham bone from a Sunday ham roast or even a spiral sliced holiday ham. If you don’t have one ham shanks will work too.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (3)

How to Make Split Pea Soup:

  • Saute vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (4)

  • Add liquid, peas and herbs: Pour in chicken broth and water. Add split peas, bay leaves and thyme. Season lightly with salt and with pepper to taste.
  • Add ham and simmer: Nestle ham bone into soup mixture. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce to low. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally until peas and ham are tender, about 1 hour.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (5)

  • Remove ham, rest then chop: Remove ham from soup, let rest 10 minutes then shred or dice meat portion into pieces, cover.
  • Add carrots, continue to simmer: Meanwhile add carrots to soup. Cover soup and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas have mostly broken down, about 30 minutes longer.
  • Return ham: Stir ham into soup, season with more salt as needed. Serve warm garnished with parsley if desired.

Tips and Variations:

  • If desired you can add in a couple of yellow or red potatoes when adding the diced carrot to soup to make it even heartier.
  • If you notice soup isn’t thickening up how you’d like while cooking you can let it simmer uncovered for the last 20 – 30 minutes to reduced down some.
  • Note that soup will thicken as it rests and cools. The following day, if needed, it can be thinned with more water.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (6)

How Long Does it Keep?

Leftovers should keep well for about 3 days in the refrigerator, the soup will thicken as it rest (and even more so when cold, once reheated it does thin back out a bit). Thin with more water as desired.

Can I Freeze It?

Yes this soup will freeze well.

  • To do so let soup cool then store in airtight containers for about 3 months in the freezer.
  • Don’t forget the soup will expand as it freezes so leave about a 3/4-inch gap from the soup to the container lid.
  • Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat the following day.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (7)

How to Make it in the Crockpot:

  • Reduce water to 2 cups (not as much liquid will evaporate from the slow cooker as it will a pot).
  • Add all ingredients (except parsley) to a 4 – 6 quart slow cooker and cook on low heat about 7 – 8 hours.
  • Remove ham and shred or dice into pieces then return to soup.

How to Cook It in an Instant Pot:

  • Press “saute” setting on Instant Pot. Add oil, celery and onion, saute 3 minutes, add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Press “cancel” on the Instant Pot.
  • Pour in broth, 2 cups water (instead of the 4 cups listed), split peas, carrots, thyme, bay leaves and season pepper. Add ham bone.
  • Cover and press “manual” mode then set to 15 minutes.
  • Once time is up allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining.
  • Shred ham from bone into pieces and return to soup, season with salt to taste.

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (8)

What to Serve with Split Pea Soup?

  • 1 Hour Dinner Rolls
  • Biscuits
  • Cornbread
  • No Knead Bread

More Classic Soup Recipes You’ll Love:

  • Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Ham and Bean Soup
  • Potato Soup
  • Vegetable Soup

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (9)

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Split Pea Soup

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Homemade Split Pea Soup, just like mom made growing up! This hearty, protein packed, comforting soup is made with tender split peas, flavorful ham and fresh vegetables. It's easy to make and perfect for the cold weather.

Makes about 9 cups.

Watch the video

Servings: 6

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Ready in: 2 hours hours

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.

  • Pour in chicken broth and water. Add split peas, bay leaves and thyme. Season lightly with salt and with pepper to taste (I like to wait to add more salt until the end to see how salty the ham has made the soup).

  • Nestle ham bone into soup mixture. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally until peas and ham are tender, about 60 - 80 minutes.

  • Remove ham from soup, let rest 10 minutes then shred or dice meat portion into pieces, cover.

  • Meanwhile add carrots* to soup. Cover soup and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas have mostly broken down, about 30 minutes longer**.

  • Stir ham into soup, season with more salt as needed. Serve warm garnished with parsley if desired.

Notes

  • *If desired you can add in a couple of yellow or red potatoes when adding the diced carrot to soup to make it even heartier.
  • **If you notice soup isn't thickening up how you'd like while cooking you can let it simmer uncovered for the last 30 minutes.
  • Note that soup will thicken as it rests and cools slightly. If needed it can be thinned with more water.

CROCKPOT METHOD

  • Reduce water to 2 cups (not as much liquid will evaporate from the slow cooker as it will a pot).
  • Add all ingredients (except parsley) to a 4 - 6 quart slow cooker and cook on low heat about 7 - 8 hours.
  • Remove ham and shred or dice into pieces then return to soup.

INSTANT POT METHOD

  • Press "saute" setting on Instant Pot. Add oil, celery and onion, saute 3 minutes, add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Press "cancel" on the Instant Pot.
  • Pour in broth, 2 cups water (instead of the 4 cups listed), split peas, carrots, thyme, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add ham bone.
  • Cover and press "manual" mode then set to 15 minutes.
  • Once time is up allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
  • Shred ham from bone into pieces and return to soup.

Nutrition Facts

Split Pea Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 450Calories from Fat 69

% Daily Value*

Fat 7.64g12%

Saturated Fat 1.8g11%

Cholesterol 66.67mg22%

Sodium 202.27mg9%

Potassium 1358.31mg39%

Carbohydrates 54.24g18%

Fiber 20.96g87%

Sugar 9.35g10%

Protein 43.24g86%

Vitamin A 3794.82IU76%

Vitamin C 7.19mg9%

Calcium 93.16mg9%

Iron 4.83mg27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Split Pea Soup

Author: Jaclyn

Split Pea Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Crockpot, Instant Pot) - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

Why are my split peas still hard in the crock pot? ›

If your split peas are hard after this length of cooking time, there is something wrong with the peas or with your water. If the peas are very old and dried out, they won't soften. And if the water you use for making the soup is hard with lots of dissolved minerals that can stop the peas from softening.

What thickens split pea soup? ›

How to Thicken Split Pea Soup. The potato should make your split pea soup perfectly thick and creamy. However, if the soup is still too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up with full-fat cream (though it may alter the flavor a bit) or a cornstarch slurry.

How do you make pea soup taste better? ›

Yellow onion, celery, carrots and garlic – these vegetables built up the background flavors of the soup. They add some nice color too. Chicken broth and water – I like to use half chicken broth and half water (vs. all broth) so it doesn't overpower the delicate flavor of the peas.

Why is my split pea soup not creamy? ›

One common reason is using too much water or broth while cooking. Additionally, if the split peas are not cooked long enough, they may not release enough starch to thicken the soup. Another possibility is not adding enough vegetables or other thickening ingredients during the cooking process.

How do you keep split pea soup from getting thick? ›

You could use whole peas instead of split peas. But even then there will be some thickening. You could (evidently) make a thinner soup on day 1, so that on the days after, the soup would be of a normal consistency. You could do this by just adding more water and leaving the potatoes out, if you use them.

What happens if you don't soak split peas? ›

Peas cook faster than beans, and - like beans - they don't have to be soaked at all, but not soaking affects the cooking time. An hour or two of soaking is plenty for whole green or yellow peas…they don't need to go overnight like beans typically do.

How do you add flavor to a bland split pea soup? ›

Using onions, garlic, and fresh spices like thyme will add flavor to the soup. The real trick to making a bland pea soup extra tasty is using a bone or ham hock in the soup during the cooking process. Chicken broth will also add flavor to the soup.

How much water do I use for 2 cups of split peas? ›

Cooking. Bring about 1.5 cups of water or broth to a boil for every cup of lentils or split peas. Add the lentils, allow water to return to boiling, reduce heat, partially cover pan, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the variety.

Why did my split pea soup turn brown? ›

If you add to many peas its not a problem because you can add more water to thin it out a little. On the other hand if you don't put in enough and have to add more it will overcook the peas you put in first. If you cook peas for too long the soup turns a brown color more than a green color.

How do you make soup taste rich? ›

Add acidic ingredients.

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

Why is my split pea soup bland? ›

The common denominator will probably be meat (ham bones are common), more salt, and pepper to taste. If you want to take a shortcut, you could use bouillon cubes or paste to provide both meaty flavor and salt, though pork is a lot harder to find than chicken or beef. Salt and pepper you can just stir in.

What is the difference between split pea soup and pea soup? ›

A recipe for "pea soup" from 1905 is made with split peas, salt pork and cold roast beef. The soup is strained through a sieve to achieve the desired texture. "Split pea soup" is a slightly thinner soup with visible peas and pieces of ham, especially popular in the Northeast, the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

Should split pea soup be thin or thick? ›

The split peas themselves should be your thickening agent. When they are throughly cooked they will melt right into the liquid. If you want a smooth soup, puree with an immersion blender.

Why does my split pea soup taste sour? ›

A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Can you overcook split peas? ›

Some might also cook them on high heat, which can cause them to become overly mushy or burn. It's best to simmer them on a gentle heat. Overcooking also ruins the texture and can lead to a mushy outcome.

Why are my split pea soup peas not softening? ›

If your split peas don't get soft, it's more likely they are old or were stored in a container that wasn't airtight. Even though they keep for quite a while, dried beans don't keep forever.

How long to cook split peas to soften? ›

Bring the peas to a boil over high heat. Add a lid and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes or until tender. Strain the cooked peas and use them in a recipe, or chill them to use in a recipe later. See reheating instructions.

How long does it take to cook dry peas in a crock pot? ›

Put the peas in a large slow cooker along with the sliced onion and minced garlic. Add the freshly ground black pepper and the water. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for about 5 hours (about 3 hours on high). Add the salt or salt blend, stir, and taste again, adding more salt or seasoned salt if needed.

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