How long it takes: 1 hour, 10 minutes Equipment you’ll need: Dutch oven or soup pan Servings: 6 Economical. Not only is this soup satisfying, it’s also budget-friendly. Split peas are very economical and can be stored in your pantry a long time. Keep a bag handy for those times when you need a good dinner idea. I also like to freeze leftover ham (or a ham bone) so I have all the fixings I need to make this soup. Great for sharing! Split pea soup is nice to share with others too. Make a big batch of soup and gift a container of it to a friend who may need a little “soup hug”.
Why Add A Bay Leaf?
One of things that makes this soup special is a really flavorful bay leaf. You may wonder why in the world you put a little green leaf into a big pot of soup, only to take it out again before eating the soup. Doesn’t seem to make much sense, does it? However, when you sample a spoonful of this easy split pea soup, you’ll get that this simple bay leaf imparts a subtle but essential flavor. It partners well with the fresh thyme and parsley which accompany it. Serve it with warm, crusty homemade whole wheat bread or no-knead Dutch oven bread. Homemade corn muffins with herbs and cheddar are a great go-along, too.
Prepping Split Peas
As you know, many, if not most, dried legumes need to be soaked overnight so perhaps you’re wondering if you have to soak the split peas before cooking. Split peas (green or yellow) do not need to be soaked. When split peas are processed, the hard outer shell is removed and then they are cracked in half. Simply rinse the split peas, green or yellow, and sort out any foreign material that may have slipped in. They’re ready to cook and they’ll cook quite quickly, much faster than other legumes that aren’t split. Incidentally, if you have a pressure cooker or slow cooker, you can eliminate the soaking step when you cook legumes such as black beans or pinto beans. Try my Instant Pot pinto beans, Instant Pot black bean soup, or crockpot refried beans.
Recipe Variations
Make it vegetarian. Omit the ham and substitute a good quality vegetable broth for the water. To enhance the flavor of the soup, add a couple cloves of garlic and a smidge of smoked paprika. A couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast will give the soup great flavor, too. Use a leftover ham bone. If you happen to have a ham bone lying around (or in your freezer), throw that in and this soup with be taken to a whole new level. The recipe card has instructions for making the soup with a ham bone. One of the comments below mentions that you can buy meaty ham bones at Honey Baked Ham stores. That sounds like a great idea! For a smoother soup: Use a blender or a hand-held immersion blender to give the soup a quick purée (before you add the ham). You probably don’t want the soup completely smooth so remove 4 cups of the soup, purée it, and return it to the pan. Add cumin. If I’m feeling crazy, I add a touch of cumin because it is one of my favorites. Try it, you may discover cumin is one of your favorites, too. I got the idea from my red lentil soup recipe. Like split peas, red lentils are a quick-cooking legume.
Get a head start. Prep the veggies the day before. Store them all together in a covered container in the refrigerator. Make double batch. Another time-saving trick is to make a double batch of the soup, as long as you have a large enough pan, or you could use 2 pans. You can freeze half for a later meal. You can also freeze the soup in individual sized containers. Thaw one in the fridge overnight and pop it in your lunchbox to take to work or school.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Refrigerate: To store split pea soup, transfer it to storage containers and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate; the soup will keep for three to four days. Freeze: Split pea soup can be frozen for up to three to four months. You will notice a slight change in texture. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat: Gently warm the soup in a saucepan until heated. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave at 50% power until heated. **photos updated September, 2019 Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #92. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.
