Split Pea Soup is a filling and inexpensive recipe that begins with onion, celery, split peas, herbs, seasonings, water, chicken stock, carrots, ham and potatoes, cooking until fork tender.
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.
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.
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.