Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 200 g carrots, diced
- 100 g celery, diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
Soup Body
- 450 g green split peas, sorted and rinsed
- 600 g smoked ham hock
- 1500 ml chicken broth, low sodium
- 500 ml water
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 5 g fresh thyme
Seasoning
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 557 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 19 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1912 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 1160 mg
- Calcium
- 89 mg
- Iron
- 5.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 289 mg
- Zinc
- 5.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 299 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 23 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.64 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.38 mg
- Niacin
- 3.7 mg
- Folate
- 29 mcg
- Water
- 404 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the green split peas in a fine mesh sieve. Pick through them to remove any small stones or debris, then rinse thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion turns translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the minced garlic to the pot and stir constantly for 1 minute until highly fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the rinsed split peas, smoked ham hock, bay leaves, and fresh thyme. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil at 100°C (212°F).
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and let it simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent the peas from sticking to the bottom. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the peas have completely broken down and the soup has thickened.
Using tongs, carefully remove the ham hock from the soup and transfer it to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the pot.
Once the ham hock is cool enough to handle, discard the skin, fat, and bones. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and stir it back into the soup.
Taste the soup and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The ham hock and broth provide significant sodium, so you may only need a pinch of salt. Serve hot.
Chef's Notes
- Never salt split pea soup at the beginning. Salt toughens the skins of legumes and can double the required cooking time. Wait until the peas are completely tender.
- Using a bone-in smoked ham hock yields the best results. As it simmers, collagen from the connective tissues melts into gelatin, creating a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel.
- Split pea soup acts like a sponge and will thicken dramatically in the refrigerator. When reheating leftovers, always add a splash of water or chicken stock to thin it back to an ideal consistency.
- If you prefer a perfectly smooth soup, use an immersion blender before adding the shredded ham meat back into the pot. For a rustic texture, simply let the cooking process break the peas down naturally.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Soup will thicken significantly when chilled. Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding water or broth to thin to desired consistency.
Troubleshooting
Split peas remain hard after 90 minutes of simmering
Cause: The split peas are old and stale, or an acidic ingredient/salt was added too early
Fix: Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and continue simmering for 30 minutes, or transfer to a pressure cooker
Prevention: Ensure dried peas are fresh and do not add salt until the very end of cooking
Soup is too thin and watery
Cause: Too much liquid was added or cooking time was too short
Fix: Remove the lid completely and simmer vigorously for an additional 15-20 minutes to reduce and thicken
Prevention: Measure liquids accurately and allow full simmering time for evaporation
Peas are scorched and stuck to the bottom of the pot
Cause: Heat was too high or soup was not stirred frequently enough
Fix: Transfer unburnt soup to a clean pot without scraping the burnt bottom layer. Discard burnt portion.
Prevention: Maintain a gentle simmer and stir thoroughly, scraping the bottom, every 15 minutes
Cultural Context
Split pea soup has roots tracing back to antiquity, but it evolved into a quintessential American comfort food, especially prized in New England and the Midwest. Utilizing dried peas and cured pork provided dense nutrition, warmth, and an economical way to utilize preserved ingredients during harsh, unforgiving winters.
