Name: Split Pea Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 615 min
Ingredients: 2.25 cups dried split peas; 2 quarts cold water, plus more as needed; 1.5 pounds ham bone; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 pinch dried marjoram; 3 stalks celery, chopped; 3 carrots, chopped; 1 potato, diced

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

2 hrs

Additional Time:

8 hrs

Total Time:

10 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

6

Jump to Nutrition Facts

There's nothing like classic split pea soup to satisfy your comfort food craving. This split pea soup recipe is complete with ham, hearty veggies, and simple seasonings.

Split Pea Soup Ingredients

These are the ingredients you'll need to make this top-rated split pea soup recipe:

Dried split peas: Find dried split peas on the dried beans and rice aisle.
Cold water: Soak the peas for at least eight hours in cold water. You'll also need two quarts of cold water for the soup itself.
Ham bone: A ham bone is cooked with the peas, adding a wonderfully meaty flavor.
Vegetables: You'll need two onions, three carrots, three celery stalks, and one potato.
Spices and seasonings: This split pea soup recipe is seasoned with salt, black pepper, and dried marjoram.

How to Make Split Pea Soup

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below – but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade split pea soup:

Soak, drain, and rinse the split peas. Place them in a pot.
Add the water, ham bone, onions, and seasonings to the pot.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 90 minutes.
Remove the meat from the ham bone and return the meat to the pot.
Add the vegetables and cook until the vegetables are tender.

How to Quickly Soak Split Peas

If you need a faster method, bring water and peas to a boil in a large pot. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for one hour. Drain and rinse before using.

How to Thicken Split Pea Soup

The potato should make your split pea soup perfectly thick and creamy. However, if the soup is still too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up with full-fat cream (though it may alter the flavor a bit) or a cornstarch slurry.

Recipe Tip

To make a cornstarch slurry: Add one tablespoon of cornstarch to one tablespoon of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk until thick. Stir into the simmering soup and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the soup reaches the desired consistency.

Learn more: How to Thicken Soups

How to Store Split Pea Soup

Allow the split pea soup to cool, then transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Can You Freeze Split Pea Soup?

Yes, you can freeze split pea soup with ham for up to three months. Ladle the cooled soup into zip-top bags, but leave about an inch of room at the top (the soup will expand as it freezes). Squeeze out the excess air, seal, wrap the bag in foil, and freeze flat.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"I really enjoy this soup," says boriskarlof. "It is easy to make and so versatile. I added a lot of herbs because I wanted the soup to taste like my mom's pea soup. She used a ham bone, and I used ham steaks. It tasted the same."

"This is my all time favorite recipe for split pea soup," raves JESSICA OKAL. "I have tried several recipes and I always go back to this one. This recipe also works well in my pressure cooker."

"I am so happy that this is basically the same recipe that my mom used to make," according to Kurt Jeffers. "I never thought that a recipe could ever really bring back those special moments from your youth. This one did."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups dried split peas
2 quarts cold water, plus more as needed
1 ½ pounds ham bone
2 onions, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch dried marjoram
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 potato, diced

Directions

Gather all ingredients.

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Place peas in a large stockpot and cover with several inches of cold water; let soak, 8 hours to overnight. Drain, rinse, and return peas to the pot.

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Add 2 quarts of cold water, ham bone, onion, salt, pepper, and marjoram to the stockpot. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

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Remove ham bone; cut off meat, dice, and return meat to soup.

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Add celery, carrots, and potatoes.

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Cook slowly, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

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Serve and enjoy!

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

310	Calories
1g	Fat
58g	Carbs
20g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 310
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g	1%
Saturated Fat 0g	1%
Sodium 255mg	11%
Total Carbohydrate 58g	21%
Dietary Fiber 22g	77%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 20g	39%
Vitamin C 14mg	15%
Calcium 85mg	7%
Iron 4mg	22%
Potassium 1084mg	23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Split Pea Soup