Hearty Split Pea Soup

Hearty split pea soup is a thick, warming bowl of soft peas and tender vegetables that gets its depth from a slow simmer with ham. The long cooking time breaks down the peas into a creamy base while the ham infuses the broth with savory flavor, and a quick sauté of aromatics at the start builds the foundation that holds everything together.

Ingredients for Hearty Split Pea Soup

Olive oil browns the aromatics and builds the flavor base. Onion, carrots, and celery soften and sweeten the broth as they cook down. Garlic adds depth and sharpness. Split peas are the body of the soup, breaking down into a creamy texture over time. Ham bone or ham hock imparts a rich, smoky flavor that defines the dish. Chicken broth provides the liquid base. Thyme and bay leaf season quietly throughout the cook. Salt and black pepper are added at the end to taste, after the peas have absorbed the ham flavor.

Why This Hearty Split Pea Soup Works

The aromatics go into the pot first, before any liquid. This short sauté concentrates their sweetness and develops a flavorful base that the broth will build on. Once the onion softens and the garlic blooms, the peas and ham go in, and the long simmer does the work: the peas absorb liquid and soften, eventually breaking apart and thickening the broth naturally without any cream or flour.

The ham bone releases gelatin and collagen into the broth, which gives the finished soup body and richness. As the peas cook, they release their starch, which also thickens the liquid. By the end, you have a soup that is creamy from the peas themselves, not from added dairy.

The soup improves after a day in the refrigerator, when the flavors meld and deepen. If it thickens too much as it sits, a splash of broth or water loosens it back to the right consistency.

Mistakes To Avoid

Skipping the sauté step or rushing it leaves the soup tasting flat and one-dimensional. The onion, carrots, and celery need time to soften and caramelize slightly so their natural sugars come forward and build a sweet, savory base that the broth will depend on.

Adding salt too early can make the finished soup taste overly salty, because the broth reduces and concentrates as the peas cook and break down. Wait until the end, taste, and add salt gradually, because you can always add more but you cannot take it out.

Cooking the soup at a hard boil instead of a steady simmer can cause the peas to break apart too fast and the broth to become gluey and overcooked. A gentle simmer keeps the texture from becoming mushy and the broth from becoming cloudy.

Forgetting to remove the ham bone before serving leaves diners picking around it, and leaving it in overnight softens it to the point that it falls apart and becomes gritty in the soup. Fish it out and set it aside while the soup is still hot, and you can pick any remaining meat off it to stir back in.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound split peas, rinsed
• 1 ham bone or ham hock
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and golden.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, until fragrant.
4. Stir in the rinsed split peas, ham bone, chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 75 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas have broken down and thickened the broth and the soup is creamy.
6. Remove the ham bone from the pot and set it aside on a cutting board until it cools enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
7. Pick any meat off the cooled ham bone and shred it into bite-sized pieces, then stir it back into the soup.
8. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs (or strain them out with a spoon).
9. Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
10. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.