Soups are a favorite in our family. Whether it’s summer or winter, they’re frequently simmering on the stove. It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t love soup especially when the temperature dips. Split pea soup is one of those comforting, cold weather “hugs” in a bowl type of soup.
The women in my family often made soups from peas or beans. It was a delicious way to stretch the budget and make use of leftovers, often tossing a beautiful ham bone into the soup to add richness to the stock. Mom would always keep the bone from a ham, wrapping it up and tucked in her freezer for stocks or soups.
Split peas make a hearty and incredibly satisfying soup. Simmer until tender in a luscious stock along with sweet onions and carrots, a pinch of oregano, a touch of garlic plus the incredible flavor from a ham bone. Now you’ve elevated this peasant dish to a fabulous feast.
If you don’t have a ham bone on hand you can also purchase them from food markets or specialty stores. Hold out a half-pound of the peas for the second half of the simmering time to give the soup another layer in texture in a creamy base.
The flavor of soups get better by the day and can offer you up a bowl for multiple meals. Dust with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese you’ve got a hearty dinner.
Rich in color, richer in flavor – split pea soup warms the soul on a cold winter day!
Split Pea Soup
1 medium sweet onion, chopped, about 1 to 1-¼ cups
3 to 4 carrots, peeled and chopped, about 1 cup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ to ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste, divided
8 cups chicken stock, plus extra as needed, divided
1 teaspoon concentrated chicken base
1-½ pounds dried split peas, rinsed and sorted, divided
1 ham bone*
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and carrots. Cook the onions and carrots until the vegetables are somewhat tender, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, oregano, ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt plus ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Add 6 cups of the chicken stock, the concentrated chicken base, and 1 pound of the split peas. Stir to blend the vegetables and the peas together.
Tuck the ham bone into the stockpot with the peas, with the bone down in the soup. (*If the ham bone has a sweet glaze, remove as much of it as possible.)
Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook partially covered for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the peas are tender. Check for seasoning, adding the remaining kosher salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the remaining split peas and remaining 2 cups of chicken stock.
Continue cooking partially covered for another 45 to 50 minutes until all the peas are tender. Stir the soup frequently – as it thickens it will tend to stick to the bottom of the stockpot.
Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
If you have leftovers, add additional chicken stock as the soup thickens as it sits. Serves 6.
Split Pea Soup
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or stockpot
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped, about 1 to 1-¼ cups
- 3 to 4 carrots, peeled and chopped, about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste, divided
- 8 cups chicken stock, plus extra as needed, divided
- 1 teaspoon concentrated chicken base
- 1-½ pounds dried split peas, rinsed and sorted, divided
- 1 ham bone*
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and carrots. Cook the onions and carrots until the vegetables are somewhat tender, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, oregano, ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt plus ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add 6 cups of the chicken stock, the concentrated chicken base and 1 pound of the split peas. Stir to blend the vegetables and the peas together then tuck the ham bone into the stockpot with the peas. (*If the hambone has a sweet glaze, remove as much of it as possible.)
- Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook partially covered for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the peas are tender.
- Check for seasoning, adding the remaining kosher salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the remaining split peas and remaining 2 cups of chicken stock. Continue cooking partially covered for another 45 to 50 minutes until all the peas are tender. Stir the soup frequently – as it thickens it will tend to stick to the bottom of the stockpot.
- Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
