Split Pea Soup

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This easy homemade Split Pea Soup recipe is silky, hearty, filling, flavorful, and satisfying for lunch or dinner. Classic comfort food that hits the spot on a cold day!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 35

Total Time1 50

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: split pea soup, split pea soup recipe

Servings:

Ingredients

1 lb. green split peas 2¼ cups, no soaking required
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium sweet onions chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic peeled and smashed
1½ tsp chopped fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
1 bay leaf
2 ham hocks well-rinsed
2½ quarts low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
splash of lemon juice
small toasted croutons to garnish (omit if you need this gluten-free)
chopped fresh parsley or chives to garnish

Instructions

Pick over the peas and remove any stones. Rinse and drain the peas.
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
Place peas in the pot, along with the thyme, bay leaf, ham hocks, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
Skim the fat/scum off the top of the soup for several minutes, until the scum ceases to rise. (This is optional.)
Partially cover and simmer about 1½ hours, or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally in case they stick to the bottom of the pan.
Remove the ham hocks and bay leaf from the soup. Discard bay leaf and set ham hocks aside to rest while you puree the soup, then shred or dice meat portion into pieces.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup right in the pot until desired consistency is reached. Alternatively, transfer soup to a blender (in batches) and purée until smooth. (If you want a super smooth soup, pass the purée through a sieve.)
Return the puréed soup to the pot and heat back up until steaming. Stir the ham meat into the pureed soup. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add in a pinch of salt and pepper, if necessary.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with croutons and parsley or chives.

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