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Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup Recipe with Smoked Ham Hock

Split pea soup with dried green peas, smoked ham hocks, carrots, and celery, simmered until thick and velvety.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb dried green split peas about 2 cups, rinsed and picked over
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 smoked ham hocks about 1 1/2 lb total
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 3 ribs celery diced
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Instructions

  • Soften the onion: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, just until you can smell it.
  • Add the peas and liquid: Add the rinsed split peas, chicken broth, water, ham hocks, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper. Bring it to a boil, which takes about 5 minutes.
  • Simmer covered: Reduce the heat to low so the surface barely moves, cover, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes and scrape across the bottom of the pot, since the peas settle and scorch there.
  • Add the vegetables: Stir in the carrots and celery. Cover and simmer 45 minutes more, until the peas have broken down and the soup coats the back of a spoon.
  • Shred the ham: Lift the ham hocks out onto a cutting board. Pull the meat off the bones with two forks, chop it, and stir it back into the pot. Discard the bones, skin, fat, and bay leaves. Ninety minutes at a simmer takes the pork far past the 145°F USDA minimum, and the meat will slip off the bones when it's ready.
  • Thicken and season: Simmer uncovered 10 minutes to thicken, stirring often. Add the salt, taste it, and add more pepper if it needs it.

Notes

Simmer covered for a full 90 minutes so the peas break down and thicken the soup on their own, stirring and scraping the bottom every 15 minutes so they don't scorch. That long simmer takes the ham hocks well past the 145°F USDA minimum for pork; pull the meat once it slips off the bones. Salt only at the end, since ham hocks and broth vary a lot in saltiness. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.