Split Pea Soup
This hearty homemade Split Pea Soup is the perfect soup to warm your insides. Richly flavored with smoky bacon and ham, this soup is a meal unto itself!
Split pea soup is a classic soup that’s typically made from split peas and flavored with ham hocks. Since ham hocks are difficult to find these days, America’s Test Kitchen came up with a great hack to produce a pork-rich broth without the ham hock! Simmer thick-cut bacon slices and a ham steak in the broth to make the soup smoky and meaty!
Prior to starting this recipe, rinse the dried split peas under cold water and then lay them out on a sheet pan to pick out any small stones.
Begin making the soup by sautéing onions and garlic until soft. Add chicken broth, water, ham steak, bacon, split peas, thyme and bay leaves to the dutch oven and boil, stirring frequently so that the peas don’t stick. Simmer until the peas are tender, about 45 minutes.
Remove the ham steak and set it aside. Add the carrots and celery and continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the peas have broken down even further, about 30 more minutes.
Meanwhile, shred the ham into bite-size pieces. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves and bacon slices.
Add the shredded ham back into the soup and simmer. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh croutons. If the soup has thickened up while sitting, thin it with a little water and adjust seasonings.
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Split Pea Soup
Makes: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour & 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour & 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 pound ham steak, skin removed, cut into quarters (see note)
- 3 slices (4 ounces) thick-cut bacon, left whole (see note)
- 1 pound green split peas (about 2 cups), picked through and rinsed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for serving
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh croutons, for serving (optional; see instructions below)
Instructions
Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Do not brown.
Add the broth, water, ham steak, bacon, peas, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to keep the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.
Remove the ham steak and place it on a plate; cover with foil and set aside. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the peas have almost completely broken down, about 30 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, shred the ham steak into small bite-size pieces with two forks. Cover with foil again.
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and bacon slices. Add the shredded ham to the soup and return to a simmer. Add a few grinds of pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (depending on the saltiness of the ham and bacon you used, you may need an additional 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt). Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh croutons, if using. (The soup will thicken as it sits on the stove; thin it with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.)
Chef’s Notes:
A ham steak is a thick slice of cooked ham cut from a whole ham roast. They can be found packaged in the refrigerated meat section of the supermarket, near the bacon.
Regular sliced bacon can be used, but the thinner slices are a little harder to remove from the soup.
To Make Fresh Croutons: Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups of cubed good-quality French or Italian bread and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.
Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. The soup will thicken once cool, so thin with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Recipe from Once Upon a Chef
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