The Simple Joy of this Hearty Ham Stock Split Pea Soup
While most soups require fancy techniques or exotic ingredients, this ham stock split pea soup proves that comfort food magic happens when simple meets soul-warming.
I mean, what’s not to love about a recipe that transforms humble split peas into liquid gold?
The beauty lies in its straightforward approach—no mysterious spice blends or complicated timing.
You’re fundamentally building layers of flavor, starting with that rich ham stock as your foundation.
It’s the kind of soup that fills your kitchen with aromas that make neighbors suddenly drop by for “visits.”
Ingredients
This ham stock split pea soup brings together ingredients that you probably already have lurking in your pantry and fridge. The star of the show is definitely the split peas themselves—those little green powerhouses that transform into creamy, comforting goodness when you give them some time and attention.
Most of these ingredients are kitchen staples, which means you can whip up this soul-warming soup without making a special grocery store run.
- 3 cups split peas (picked over and rinsed)
- 6 cups ham stock (made from boiling down ham bone)
- 5 bay leaves (for the stock)
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups ham, diced
- 3 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs with leaves, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 dash parsley
- 1 dash thyme
- 1 dash marjoram
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
The real beauty of this ingredient list is its flexibility. If your ham stock turns out too salty—which happens more often than we’d like to admit—you can dilute it with plain water before adding the chicken broth.
The recipe calls for finely chopped vegetables, but don’t stress if your knife skills aren’t Instagram-worthy. As long as everything is roughly the same size, it’ll cook evenly and taste fantastic.
Those “dashes” of herbs might seem vague, but that’s actually perfect because it lets you adjust based on your family’s preferences. Trust your taste buds, and remember that you can always add more seasoning, but you can’t take it back once it’s in there.
How to Make this Hearty Ham Stock Split Pea Soup
The real magic of this soup happens in stages, and honestly, it’s one of those recipes that makes you feel like a proper chef even if you’re still figuring out how to crack an egg without getting shells everywhere.
Start by making your ham stock—grab that ham bone or store-bought ham hock (I lean toward smoked ham when I want things a little more interesting) and drop it into a pot with 8 quarts of water and 5 bay leaves. Let this simmer lazily for about 2 hours until you’ve got roughly 6 cups of liquid gold.
Once it cools, pop it in the fridge so all that fat rises to the top like a greasy little oil slick you can easily skim off. While you’re waiting, take those 3 cups of split peas and give them the once-over—nobody wants to bite down on a rogue pebble. Rinse them in a pot of water and remove any floating bits that look suspicious.
When you’re ready for the main event, heat up 2 to 4 tablespoons of that skimmed ham fat in your largest stock pot over medium-high heat. A quality premium seafood cookware set with its heavy-bottomed stock pot ensures even heat distribution, preventing those annoying hot spots that can scorch your vegetables. Toss in your 1 chopped onion, 3 finely chopped carrots, and 2 chopped celery ribs, letting them get all tender and fragrant while you pretend to know what you’re doing.
Now comes the satisfying part—dump in everything except the salt and pepper: your cleaned split peas, that beautiful ham stock, 5 cups of chicken broth (but taste that stock first, because if it’s salty enough to make your face pucker, dilute it with plain water), 3 cups of diced ham, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon each of sugar and lemon juice, 1 bay leaf, and those dashes of parsley, thyme, marjoram, and cayenne pepper.
Drop the heat to a gentle simmer and let everything bubble away for 45 minutes before you even think about adding salt and pepper—trust me on this one, because that ham stock might already be doing all the seasoning work for you.
After another 45 minutes of cooking, fish out that bay leaf and decide if you want chunky soup that looks rustic and homey, or if you’re feeling fancy enough to partially puree half of it with one of those stick blenders that make you feel like you’re wielding a tiny kitchen lightsaber.
Substitutions and Variations
Because not everyone has a ham bone sitting around in their freezer like some kind of soup-making optimist, let’s talk about swapping things out without completely destroying the soul of this recipe.
No ham bone? I’ll use store-bought ham hock or even diced bacon for that smoky depth.
Vegetarian? Swap the ham stock for vegetable broth and add liquid smoke.
Yellow split peas work just as well as green ones, and honestly, who’s judging?
Want it heartier? Throw in some diced potatoes or leftover vegetables.
The beauty lies in flexibility, not perfection.
Additional Things to Serve With Hearty Ham Stock Split Pea Soup
Crusty bread stands as the undisputed champion of split pea soup companions, and I’m not talking about some sad, store-bought loaf that’s been sitting around since last Tuesday. I want that crackling crust that sounds like bubble wrap when you squeeze it.
Cornbread makes a stellar runner-up, especially with a drizzle of honey. Simple grilled cheese sandwiches? Pure genius. The buttery crunch against creamy soup creates perfect harmony.
I also love serving crispy bacon bits on the side for extra crunch, or warm dinner rolls that’ll soak up every last drop from your bowl.
Final Thoughts
With all those perfect pairings covered, I can’t help but smile thinking about how this hearty ham stock split pea soup will become your go-to comfort food.
There’s something magical about transforming simple split peas into liquid gold, isn’t there? I love how this recipe gives you complete control over texture—lumpy, smooth, or somewhere in between.
The homemade ham stock really makes the difference here, creating layers of smoky flavor that store-bought versions simply can’t match.
Trust me, once you taste that first spoonful, you’ll understand why this soup deserves a permanent spot in your recipe rotation.
