Description
A hearty and comforting Split Pea Soup made with dried split peas, ham hocks, and fresh vegetables simmered to perfection, perfect for a nutritious and warming meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main 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
- Rinse peas: Place 1 pound dried split peas in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Pick out any debris or discolored peas. Drain well.
- Sauté vegetables: Melt 1/4 cup salted butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium diced white onion, 3 sliced celery ribs, and 3 sliced medium carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.
- Add peas and liquids: Stir in the rinsed split peas, 4 cups water, and 6 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add 2 ham hocks and 2 teaspoons dried thyme.
- Simmer soup: Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until peas are tender and ham is easily removed from the bone.
- Prepare ham: Remove ham hocks from the pot. Shred the ham, discarding the bones, and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Blend soup (optional): For a chunky soup, leave as is and stir the shredded ham back into the pot. For a partially pureed soup, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup while leaving some chunks. For a smooth soup, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
- Season and serve: Stir the chopped ham back into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use salted butter as specified, but reduce additional salt if using unsalted butter.
- For a vegetarian version, omit ham hocks and substitute vegetable broth.
- Simmering time may vary slightly depending on pea freshness.
- Split peas do not require soaking and will soften during cooking.
- Use an immersion blender carefully to avoid splashing hot soup.
- Leftover soup improves in flavor after a day and can be refrigerated or frozen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
