OP One Pan GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free FF Freezer Friendly VG Vegetarian

Easy Split Pea Soup

Name: Split Pea Soup Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 cup diced yellow onion ((about 1 medium onion)); 2 to 3 medium carrots, diced ((about 2 heaping cups)); 2 stalks celery, diced ((about 1 cup)); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper; 2 cups dried split peas, sorted and rinsed ((16 oz. bag)); 6 cups water; 1 bay leaf; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dry thyme; 8 ounces diced ham, and/or ham bone ((see note)); 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

4.42

1 hr 10 mins

20 Comments

Jump to Recipe Video

By: Rachel GurkPosted: 04/16/2012Updated: 03/20/2023

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Warm, comforting, and easy to prepare, this split pea soup recipe is the best! It’s ready to eat in just over an hour.

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: This is an easy soup to make. You can prep it in about 10 minutes, then leave it to simmer for an hour. It needs very little attention and can cook longer if you’re not ready to serve it.

How long it takes: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: Dutch oven or soup pan
Servings: 6

Split pea soup recipe with ham, carrots, and thyme.

Table of Contents open

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

It’s hearty. This easy split pea soup recipe is a hearty soup that will satisfy your entire family. It’s filling and nutritious and will warm you from the inside out.
It’s economical. Not only is this soup satisfying, it’s also budget-friendly. Split peas are very economical and can be stored in your pantry a long time. Keep a bag handy for those times when you need a good dinner idea. I also like to freeze leftover ham (or a ham bone) so I have all the fixings I need to make this soup.
It’s great for sharing! Split pea soup is nice to share with others too. Make a big batch of soup and gift a container of it to a friend who may need a little “soup hug”.

About This Split Pea Soup Recipe

One of things that makes this soup special is a really flavorful bay leaf. You may wonder why in the world you put a little green leaf into a big pot of soup, only to take it out again before eating the soup. Doesn’t seem to make much sense, does it?

However, when you sample a spoonful of this easy split pea soup, you’ll get that this simple bay leaf imparts a subtle but essential flavor. It partners well with the fresh thyme and parsley which accompany it.

Warm, comforting, and easy to prepare split pea soup. This is one of the best easy split pea soup recipes out there! Get the easy soup recipe on RachelCooks.com!

Add carrots, celery, onion, and ham and you have a quick and easy nutritious meal. Serve it with warm, crusty homemade whole wheat bread or no-knead Dutch oven bread. Homemade corn muffins with herbs and cheddar are a great go-along, too.

Look for the printable recipe card near the end of the post for complete instructions, specific measurements, and nutrition information.

FAQs

Do split peas need to soaked before cooking?

Although many dried beans need to be soaked before cooking, split peas (green or yellow) do not need to be soaked. When split peas are processed, the hard outer shell is removed and then they are cracked in half. They cook quite quickly. Simply rinse split peas, green or yellow, and sort out any foreign material that may have slipped in.
Incidentally, if you have a pressure cooker, you can eliminate the soaking step when you cook legumes such as black beans or pinto beans. Try my Instant Pot pinto beans.

Is split pea soup good for you?

According to Livestrong, split peas are a good source of plant protein and fiber. They also contain important nutrients and are low in calories.
Split pea soup is a healthy choice. In addition to nutritious split peas, carrots, celery, and onion are added, all of which are good for you. A serving of my split pea soup recipe has 24 grams of protein with only 3 grams of fat. It contains lots of potassium and vitamin A, and is only 294 calories.

Make It Your Own

Make it vegetarian: Omit the ham and substitute a good quality vegetable broth for the water. To enhance the flavor of the soup, add a couple cloves of garlic and a smidge of smoked paprika. A couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast will give the soup great flavor, too.
Have a leftover ham bone? If you happen to have a ham bone lying around (or in your freezer), throw that in and this soup with be taken to a whole new level. The recipe card has instructions for making the soup with a ham bone. One of the comments below mentions that you can buy meaty ham bones at Honey Baked Ham stores. That sounds like a great idea!
If you prefer a smoother soup, use a blender or a hand-held immersion blender to give it a quick purée (before you add the ham). You probably don’t want the soup completely smooth so remove 4 cups of the soup, purée it, and return it to the pan.
If I’m feeling crazy, I add a touch of cumin. Because it is one of my favorites.

Make-Ahead Ideas

To get a head start on this soup, prep the veggies the day before. Store them all together in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Another time-saving trick is to make a double batch of the soup, as long as you have a large enough pan, or you could use 2 pans. You can freeze half for a later meal. You can also freeze the soup in individual sized containers. Thaw one in the fridge overnight and pop it in your lunchbox to take to work or school.

Storage & Reheating Tips

To store split pea soup, transfer it to storage containers and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate; the soup will keep for three to four days.

Split pea soup can be frozen for up to three to four months. You will notice a slight change in texture. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat, gently warm the soup in a saucepan until heated. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave at 50% power until heated.