Ham Split Pea Soup Carrots (Print)

Smoky ham, split peas, and carrots combined for a nourishing, flavorful classic soup.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb smoked ham hock or diced cooked ham

→ Legumes

02 - 1 lb dried green split peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 large onion, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

→ Herbs & Seasonings

08 - 2 bay leaves
09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - Salt to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat a splash of oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for 5-7 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
03 - Stir in split peas, ham hock or diced ham, bay leaves, dried thyme, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour in chicken broth or water, stirring thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until split peas are tender and soup thickens.
06 - Remove ham hock if used. Shred any meat from the bone, discard fat and bone, and return shredded meat to the pot.
07 - Taste soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot with crusty bread or crackers.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -
  • It's practically hands-off once everything hits the pot, so you can attend to other things while it transforms into something deeply satisfying.
  • The smoky ham and creamy peas create this unexpectedly luxurious texture without any cream whatsoever.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, and the leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to really know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing and sorting the split peas; I learned this the hard way when I bit down on a stone and thought I'd cracked a tooth, and now I'm religious about this small step.
  • The soup will continue to thicken as it sits because the peas keep softening, so if you're making it ahead, you may need to add a splash of water when you reheat it.
03 -
  • Save your ham hock in the freezer after you buy it; you can make this soup months later and the flavor stays vibrant if stored properly.
  • If your soup tastes flat even after seasoning, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar wakes everything up without changing the character of the dish—this is an old trick that changes everything.
Back