Split Pea and Ham Soup

My grandmother used to make this soup on the first truly cold day of November, and somehow she always knew when that morning was coming. She'd pull out her massive stockpot before breakfast, and by the time I'd arrive home from school, the kitchen was wrapped in this savory steam that made everything feel right about winter. What started as her way of using up a leftover ham bone from Sunday dinner became the soup I crave when the temperature drops and comfort feels like the most important ingredient.

I made this for my dad during his first winter living alone after retirement, and he called me mid-afternoon just to tell me the house smelled like home. That bowl became part of his weekly routine, and he started timing his grocery shopping so he'd never run out of split peas. It wasn't fancy, but it was the kind of meal that meant something without needing to be complicated.

Ingredients

• Ham bone or diced cooked ham (1 meaty bone or 2 cups): This is where the soul of the soup lives—a ham bone gives you an impossible depth of flavor without any extra work, but diced ham works if that's what you have on hand.
• Dried split peas (1 pound, rinsed and sorted): This matters more than you'd think: rinse them well and pick through for any tiny stones, something my grandmother taught me after one crunchy spoonful she never forgot.
• Onion, carrots, and celery (1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks): This trio is the foundation—diced roughly the same size so they cook evenly and break down into the broth naturally.
• Garlic (2 cloves, minced): It blooms quickly in the hot pot, filling your kitchen with that warm, garlicky promise of something delicious coming.
• Broth and water (8 cups broth, 2 cups water): Low-sodium broth lets the ham flavor shine; the water stretches it without diluting the taste you're after.
• Bay leaf and thyme (1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme): These herbs are quiet but essential, adding an earthiness that ties everything together.
• Black pepper and salt (½ teaspoon pepper, salt to taste): Go easy at first and adjust at the end—the ham brings plenty of salt already.

Instructions

Build your base:

Heat a splash of oil in your stockpot over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Stir them around for 5 to 6 minutes until they soften and the kitchen starts smelling like something good is happening.

Wake up the garlic:

Add the minced garlic and let it cook for just a minute—you want it fragrant, not brown. This is a quick step but it changes everything.

Bring it all together:

Dump in the rinsed split peas, ham bone, bay leaf, thyme, broth, and water. Give it a good stir so nothing is hiding at the bottom.

The long simmer:

Bring the whole pot to a boil, then drop the heat way down to low, cover it, and let it bubble quietly for an hour. Stir every now and then—this isn't hands-off cooking, but it's almost there.

Thicken it up:

Remove the lid and let it simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes until the peas have completely softened and started breaking down into the broth. This is when you stop watching and start tasting.

Finish the ham:

Pull out the bay leaf and ham bone. If there's meat clinging to the bone, shred it and return it to the pot—don't waste that flavor.

Make it your own:

Season with pepper and salt to your liking. If you want it creamier, mash some of the peas with a spoon or grab an immersion blender and go wild. Some soup should be chunky and rustic; this one works either way.

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The real magic happened when my brother brought his kids over on a Saturday afternoon, and my youngest nephew asked for seconds without prompting—and then thirds. He was the kind of kid who turned down everything, but this soup just worked. I learned that day that the best recipes aren't the ones in fancy magazines; they're the ones that make people stay at your table longer.

Why This Soup Deserves a Spot in Your Rotation

This isn't a dish you make because you're trying to impress someone; it's one you make because you know exactly what people need when it's cold outside. The process is meditative—chopping vegetables, stirring the pot, waiting for the peas to soften—and by the time it's ready, you've already calmed down from whatever the day threw at you.

Stretching It and Making It Your Own

Once you've made it once, you'll start seeing ways to make it fit whatever you have on hand. Diced potatoes add a starchy heartiness, parsnips bring a subtle sweetness, and if you've got smoked paprika hanging around, a teaspoon of that almost replaces the ham if you're going vegetarian. I've even added leftover roasted vegetables when I had them, and the soup never complained.

Storing and Reheating

This soup actually improves after a day in the refrigerator—the flavors settle and deepen in a way that fresh soup can't quite match. It freezes beautifully for up to three months, and when you reheat it, add a splash of broth or water since it tends to thicken more as it sits. Crusty bread isn't optional; it's the only acceptable way to eat this.

• Pour it into containers while it's warm so the flavors stay lively.
• Label your containers so you remember when you made it and actually use it.
• A ladle is your friend here—this soup deserves to be served with ceremony, even if it's just for you.

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Make this soup when you need to feel grounded, or when someone you care about needs feeding. It's that simple.

Recipe FAQ

→ Can I make this with leftover holiday ham?

Absolutely! This is actually an ideal way to use leftover ham from holidays. Simply dice about 2 cups of cooked ham and add it during the simmering stage. The ham will infuse the soup with smoky flavor as it cooks.

→ Do split peas need to be soaked before cooking?

No soaking required! Unlike dried beans, split peas cook relatively quickly and will break down beautifully during the 1-1.5 hour simmer time. Just rinse them well and sort through to remove any debris or small stones before adding to the pot.

→ How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store cooled soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The soup may thicken considerably in the fridge - simply add a splash of broth or water when reheating to reach desired consistency.

→ Can I make this vegetarian?

Yes! Simply omit the ham bone and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Add 1-2 teaspoons of smoked paprika to replicate the smoky depth that ham provides. You can also add diced potatoes for extra heartiness.

→ Why isn't my soup thickening?

The soup thickens as the split peas break down during cooking. If it's still too thin after the full cooking time, use an immersion blender to partially puree about half the soup, or continue simmering uncovered to reduce the liquid further.