Ham Split Pea Carrot Soup (Printable Version)

A flavorful blend of smoky ham, creamy split peas, and sweet carrots for a nourishing meal.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb smoked ham hock or diced cooked ham

→ Legumes

02 - 1 lb dried green split peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 large onion, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

→ Herbs & Seasonings

08 - 2 bay leaves
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - Salt to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
02 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
03 - Stir in split peas, ham hock or diced ham, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper.
04 - Pour in chicken broth or water, stirring to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and soup has thickened.
06 - Remove the ham hock if used. Shred any meat from the bone, discarding fat and bone, and return the meat to the soup.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.
08 - Serve hot with crusty bread or crackers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely one-pot simplicity—no fussing with multiple pans or complicated techniques.
  • The flavors only get better as it sits, making it perfect for batch cooking or leftovers.
  • You end up with a soup that's naturally creamy and satisfying without any cream involved.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing and sorting the split peas—I once found a tiny stone in a spoonful and it taught me that this step isn't optional, it's essential.
  • The soup continues to thicken as it cools, so if it seems a little loose at the end of cooking, it'll firm up; you can always add more broth later if you prefer it thinner.
03 -
  • If your ham hock seems very fatty, you can simmer it separately first and skim the fat from the surface—this gives you cleaner flavor without the heaviness.
  • Taste constantly toward the end; salt builds differently depending on whether you used broth or water, so trusting your palate matters more than the recipe.
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