Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatic Base
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 carrot, finely diced
- 2 celery, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
Soup Body
- 300 g dried green split peas, rinsed and picked over for stones
- 1200 ml chicken stock, hot
- 1 bay leaf, whole
- 3 fresh thyme, sprigs
Finish and Seasoning
- 250 g cooked thick-cut ham, diced into 1cm cubes
- black pepper, freshly ground
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 175 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 1976 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 58 mg
- Potassium
- 282 mg
- Calcium
- 19 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 15 mg
- Phosphorus
- 169 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.52 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 4.0 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 336 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are softened and translucent but not browned.
Add the minced garlic to the pot and stir constantly until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
Pour in the hot chicken stock. Add the rinsed split peas, bay leaf, and fresh thyme sprigs. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the Dutch oven slightly ajar, and let it simmer gently. Stir occasionally to prevent the peas from sticking to the bottom.
Remove and discard the bay leaf and bare thyme stems. If a smoother texture is desired, use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, leaving some texture.
Stir the diced cooked ham into the soup. Allow it to simmer gently to heat the pork all the way through.
Taste the soup and generously season with freshly ground black pepper. Only add salt if necessary, as the ham and stock often provide enough sodium.
Chef's Notes
- While modern split peas do not require overnight soaking, giving them a quick rinse in a fine mesh sieve helps remove excess starch and dust.
- If you have a leftover ham bone from a Sunday roast, add it to the pot during step 3. The marrow and connective tissue will provide an incredible depth of flavor and a silky mouthfeel.
- Do not add any acidic ingredients like lemon juice or tomatoes until the peas are completely soft. Acid hardens the exterior of legumes and permanently halts the cooking process.
- The soup will thicken considerably as it cools. When reheating the next day, you will almost certainly need to add a splash of water or stock to loosen it up.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Soup will thicken significantly in the fridge. Stir well when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or stock to loosen the consistency.
Troubleshooting
Split peas are still hard after an hour of simmering
Cause: The dried peas are old and have lost too much moisture, or the simmer was too low
Fix: Continue simmering for another 30-45 minutes, adding an extra 200ml of hot water to ensure there is enough liquid.
Prevention: Check the expiration date on dried legumes and buy from a store with high turnover
Soup is scorching and sticking to the bottom of the pot
Cause: The heat is too high, or the soup was not stirred frequently enough as the starch released
Fix: Do not scrape the burnt layer. Immediately transfer the unburnt soup to a clean pot, add a splash of water, and resume on a lower heat.
Prevention: Stir every 15 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot thoroughly
Soup is too thick and resembles a solid puree
Cause: Split peas absorbed more liquid than anticipated, or too much evaporation occurred
Fix: Whisk in boiling water or hot stock 100ml at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Prevention: Keep the lid partially on to minimize evaporation
Cultural Context
Pea soup has been a staple in the British Isles since antiquity, originally made from dried peas that could survive long, harsh winters. The addition of salted pork or ham hocks provided essential fats and proteins, transforming a humble pot of legumes into a fortifying meal for laborers. Today, it remains an iconic pub classic and a beloved winter comfort food across the UK.
