Split Pea & Ham Soup

Name: Split Pea & Ham Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 4 slices bacon, cut into 1" pieces; 2 medium carrots, finely chopped; 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves; 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped; 2 stalks celery, finely chopped; 6 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp. ground coriander; 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika; 1 lb. dried green split peas; 7 c. low-sodium chicken broth, divided; 1 ham bone (optional); 2 1/2 c. diced baked ham (12 oz.)

By June XiePublished: Feb 10, 2022

Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

2 Ratings

split pea ham soup with carrots, ham, bacon, and thyme

June Xie

Yields:

8 serving(s)

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 35 mins

Jump to recipe

It’s no secret that we love bacon here at Delish, so this split pea and ham soup begins with 4 strips of it. Not only do you get a crunchy, salty, fatty topping to garnish your soup with, you also yield liquid bacon fat “gold” to cook with. Each slice of bacon yields about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat, and yes, I do want you to keep all of it in the pot.

Why wouldn’t you? Split green pea soup will just be that much more enjoyable with a little more fat to make it feel multidimensional. If you’re opting to skip the bacon, the soup will fare just fine with an equal amount (about 4 tablespoons!) of olive oil.

To get a super creamy soup that also has texture, fry your carrots and thyme in the fat until golden and sweet. Reserve this to fold back into the soup at the very end, so that you can taste the dice and bite of your carrots along with the ham. By reserving a portion of the broth to add in after the peas have broken down, you might not even need an immersion blender to make your soup super smooth: Just carefully stir the pot into a frenzy and watch the peas lose their shape completely.

If you’ve made this soup, we want to know your thoughts! Drop us a comment down below and let us know how you liked it.

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Ingredients

4
slices bacon, cut into 1" pieces
2
medium carrots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp.
fresh thyme leaves
1
large yellow onion, finely chopped
2
stalks celery, finely chopped
6
cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp.
kosher salt
1 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp.
ground coriander
1/4 tsp.
freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp.
smoked paprika
1 lb.
dried green split peas
7 cups
low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1
ham bone (optional)
2 1/2 cups
diced baked ham (12 oz.)

Directions

1. Step 1In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate and keep the fat in the pot. Add carrots and thyme and cook until golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Step 2Add onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, coriander, nutmeg, and paprika and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add split peas, 5 cups broth, and ham bone and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until peas fall apart, about 45 minutes.
3. Step 3When peas are tender, remove from heat, and remove ham bone. Stir in remaining broth and use an immersion blender to purée soup, if desired. Return pot to medium heat, stir in cooked carrots and ham, and simmer until warmed through.
4. Step 4Top with cooked bacon before serving.