Split Pea Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (2024)

Need a quick, go-to soup recipe for a busy, cold, and blustery weeknight?I’ve got the perfect solution! This easy split pea soup recipe!

There are two camps of people when it comes to Split Pea Soup. You either cook it with ham, or you don’t. Most people tend to have a strong preference one way or the other.

And in addition, you either like it soupy, or thick as mud.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

The great thing about this recipe is that you can cook it the way you like it! The recipe below is the non-ham version (we don’t care for ham around here).

But if you like it with meat, then simply add some ham to the pot when cooking! (Just be sure its cooked properly in the end).

How Thick Do You Like Your Split Pea Soup?

As for thickness, this soup will thicken both with time in the fridge and with longer cooking times.

So if you like your split pea soupy, then simply add a little extra broth if the soup thickens too much for you. (It will thicken as it cools, usually by the next day.) But if you like it thick as mud, cook it longer (to cook out more of the liquid) and let it sit overnight in the fridge. It’ll be nice and thick in the morning.

I just love a versatile recipe, don’t you?

Split Pea Soup With Ham

So this recipe is vegetarian. But as mentioned, it’s quite versatile. If you prefer ham in your split pea, you can either use a leftover ham bone, or you can cut up some meat into small cubes. Either way, you’ll get good flavor. The ham bone offers a flavor that is a tiny bit more “intense”, but both will work here.

Add the bone or meat (or both) after you’ve sautéd the vegetables.

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

If you prefer to make this in an Instant Pot (I do it all the time now!) you can make these easy adjustments to the recipe below.

• Sauté everything in your Instant Pot instead of a pan. Simply press the sauté button and add the oil to the insert first. Then the veggies and sauté just like you would in the pan.
• Turn the IP off, and add all the other ingredients.
• Place the lid and close the vent valve.
• Press the Manual button and adjust the time to 18 minutes at high pressure.
• When the cooking cycle is done, allow a 20 minute natural release.
• Then open the valve (careful of any remaining steam!).
• When all the steam has been released, open the lid carefully and stir your soup.
• Remove the bay leaf (and the ham bone if that’s what you used), and serve your soup with some crusty garlic bread!

What You’ll Need

4largecarrots

4medium stalkscelery

1mediumred onion

1tbsp.olive oil

2tsp.dried thyme

1tbsp.garlic powder

1tbsp.onion powder

8cupschicken or veggie stock(go up to 12 cups as needed for consistency)

3cupsdry split peas

How To Make Split Pea Soup

These instructions are for the slow cooker. Stovetop directions are below in the recipe card.

• Sauté your onions in the olive oil until they are translucent.
• Put all ingredients in a slow cooker and turn on low.
• Let cook for 8-10 hours.

What If Your Split Peas Won’t Get Soft?

Sometimes, you cook split peas for hours and they are still hard little pebbles of dinners-not-ready-despair. There are a few reasons for this.

1. Chances are, you split peas are old. Split peas tend to dry out further with age, making it much harder to cook them. To some degree, you can tell how old they are by their color. If they are a vibrant green, they should cook just fine. If they are pale green, chances are you’ll be cooking them for a really long time. (Have extra broth on hand if that’s the case!)
2. If you live at an altitude above 2000 feet, you’ll be cooking those peas a lot longer than usual. I don’t know a lot about high altitude cooking, but I do know it affects cooking times. Even with something like split peas.

What To Serve With Split Pea Soup

This soup is truly a meal all on its own. But if you want to pair it with other things, here are some suggestions:

• Crusty garlic bread
• Green salad on the side
• Grilled cheese sandwich
• Garlic naan
• Biscuits
• Cornbread
• Sausage – for those who like meat, but don’t have ham
• Croutons – usually as a garnish
• Toast

Recipe Cost

Please note that these prices are true for my area at the time I am posting them. Your area may be more or less expensive. Use these cost figures as a ballpark.

Need Supplies?

Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet – Utopia Kitchen (12.5 Inch)

See Also

Whole30’s Cofounder Shares Her Fave Recipes

KitchenAid KSC6223SS 6-Qt. Slow Cooker with Standard Lid – Stainless Steel

KitchenAid Classic Wood Cutting Board, 8×10-Inch, Natural

More Healthy Soup Recipes

• French Onion Soup
• Chicken and Dumplings
• Cream of Mushroom Soup

Split Pea Soup Recipe

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted 12/24/2010.