Split Pea Soup
This recipe for Split Pea Soup is a steamy bowl of comfort food. It’s delicious served with a side of bread for dipping in the flavor packed broth.
Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe
This green pea soup recipe is filling and inexpensive to make. How do you make Split Pea Soup? It begins with onion and celery cooked in bacon drippings. You can use olive oil or even butter, if that’s what you have on hand. Once softened add the split peas, fragrant herbs and seasonings to the pot along with water and chicken stock. Once the split peas are tender after an hour or so of cooking add carrots, diced ham and potatoes, cooking until the carrots and potatoes are fork tender. Make sure you stop and stir the soup occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
How to Make the Best Split Pea Soup Recipe
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Split Pea Soup: One pound dried split peas rinsed and picked over, chicken stock, water, onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, marjoram or oregano, minced garlic, cubed ham and chopped parsley.
- Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A large Dutch oven or similar size heavy bottomed pot, sharp knife and chopping board, measuring cups and spoons, a vegetable peeler, sharp knife and chopping board and a large spoon for stirring.
- Do you have to soak split peas? You can soak split peas for several hours just like you do dried pinto beans, navy beans or any other legume. It’s not imperative to do so and I skip it for this recipe. If time allows, soaking the split peas will cut down on cooking time.
- I use bacon drippings for the added flavor it gives to the split pea soup. If you prefer, you can use olive oil in place of bacon drippings if that’s what you have on hand.
- Please note: Split peas whether they’re green or yellow peas, will cook down considerably and don’t hold their shape like lentils and other beans. That’s a natural part of the cooking process.
- If you don’t have marjoram on hand substitute with oregano. They’re from the same family of herbs and have a similar flavor profile.
- You could replace the ham with cooked bacon, if that’s your preference as well. Add it back to the pot at the end of cooking.
- Store leftover Split Pea Soup chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat or in single servings portions in the microwave. Thin with additional water or chicken stock, if needed.
More Southern Soup Recipes to Make
I’m a year-round fan of soup and we have it often regardless of the weather. More soup recipes you may also like to make:
- Easy Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is good for the soul.
- Lentil Soup is inexpensive and filling.
- Creamy Tomato Cheese Tortellini Soup is an Italian feast in a bowl.
- You won’t miss the potatoes in this Cheesy Cauliflower Bacon Soup.
- One Pot Chicken Noodle Soup will cure what ails you.
- Slow Cooked Vegetable Beef Soup can simmer in your crockpot while you go about your day.
- Pasta e Fagioli is better than Olive Garden.
- Gazpacho from Kalyn’s Kitchen.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp bacon drippings (OR olive oil)
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 1 1/2 cups diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb package green split peas rinsed and picked over
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp dried marjoram or oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
- 1/2 lb cooked ham cubed
- 2 medium russet potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 cubes
- 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a 6 quart Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat bacon drippings over medium high heat. Add onion and celery. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer.
- To the pot add split peas, chicken stock, water, salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram and bay leaves. Mix well. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Uncover, add carrots and ham to the pot. Cover and cook for 20 minutes then add potatoes.
- Simmer covered for another 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Mix in 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately garnished with additional parsley.