Classic Split Pea Soup with Ham Hock

Name: Classic Split Pea Soup with Ham Hock
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 42 min
Total time: 2 h 7 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1½ cups); 3 medium (about 9 oz) (255 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1½ cups); 3 ribs (about 6 oz) (170 g) celery ribs, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1 cup); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; 2¼ cups (1 lb) (450 g) dried green split peas, picked over and rinsed under cold water until the water runs mostly clear; 1 hock (about 1 lb) (450 g) smoked ham hock, rinsed; 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 5 cups (1200 ml) water, plus up to 1 cup (240 ml) more for thinning, if needed; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar; kosher salt, to taste: one pinch for the vegetables, then start with ½ teaspoon (3 g) at the end; 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, smoky, spoon-coating green split pea soup built on a meaty ham hock, sweet carrots, celery and onion. No soaking is needed, and a splash of vinegar at the end brightens the whole pot.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 42 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 2 hr 22 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 L), 6 bowls of about 1⅓ cups (320 ml) each

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

6 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1½ cups)
3 medium (about 9 oz) (255 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1½ cups)
3 ribs (about 6 oz) (170 g) celery ribs, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1 cup)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
2¼ cups (1 lb) (450 g) dried green split peas, picked over and rinsed under cold water until the water runs mostly clear
1 hock (about 1 lb) (450 g) smoked ham hock, rinsed
4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
5 cups (1200 ml) water, plus up to 1 cup (240 ml) more for thinning, if needed
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
kosher salt, to taste: one pinch for the vegetables, then start with ½ teaspoon (3 g) at the end
2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot with lid
Fine-mesh strainer for rinsing peas
Wooden spoon or flat-edged spatula
Cutting board and chef's knife
Tongs
Immersion blender or potato masher (optional, for a smoother texture)
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

No soaking is needed for split peas. They break down on their own during simmering, which is what makes the soup thick.
Plan on about 2 hours 20 minutes from start to bowl: roughly 25 minutes of hands-on work, 102 minutes on the stove, and 15 minutes of cooling and standing.
Smoked hocks and broth vary a lot in saltiness, so don't add salt at the end until you have tasted. The only salt before then is one pinch on the vegetables.
Use a pot of at least 5 quarts (4.7 L). The soup foams and thickens as it cooks, and a roomy pot is easier to stir.

1
Chop the vegetables
- Dice the onion, carrots and celery into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces and mince the garlic.
- Keep the garlic separate from the other vegetables, because it goes in later.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Vegetable pieces are roughly uniform so they cook at the same rate.
2
Rinse the peas
- Put the split peas in a fine-mesh strainer and pick out any stones or discolored peas.
- Rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, stirring with your hand.
- Set aside to drain.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rinse water runs mostly clear instead of cloudy.
Tip: Rinsing removes dust and surface starch that can make the soup foam heavily.
3
Soften the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- Add the diced onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 to 10 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, and the carrots look slightly glossy and have softened at the edges. Nothing should be browned.
Tip: If the vegetables begin to brown, lower the heat to medium-low. Browning would change the soup's fresh, sweet flavor.
4
Add garlic and thyme
- Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 to 60 seconds.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The garlic smells fragrant but hasn't taken on any color.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter, so move on to the next step as soon as you smell it.
5
Bring to a boil
- Add the rinsed split peas, ham hock, bay leaves, black pepper, chicken broth and 5 cups (1.2 L) water.
- Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, which takes about 10 minutes.
- Skim off and discard any gray foam that rises to the surface with a spoon.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The surface is bubbling steadily across the whole pot.
Tip: The ham hock should be mostly submerged. If it isn't, add a little more water.
6
Simmer until peas collapse
- Reduce the heat to low so the soup barely bubbles.
- Partially cover the pot, leaving a 1-inch gap for steam to escape.
- Simmer for 75 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom every 10 to 15 minutes so the peas don't stick.
- If the soup gets thicker than a loose porridge before the peas have broken down, stir in ½ cup (120 ml) extra water at a time, up to 1 cup (240 ml) total.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The peas have fallen apart into a thick, porridge-like soup with no firm bits, and the hock meat pulls easily from the bone when pressed with a spoon.
Tip: Stir more often toward the end because the thickened soup scorches easily on the bottom.
7
Shred the ham
- Turn off the heat.
- With tongs, transfer the ham hock to a cutting board and discard both bay leaves.
- Let the hock cool for 10 minutes, then pull off the meat and discard the skin, fat and bones.
- Chop the meat into bite-size pieces.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Meat shreds easily with your fingers or a fork.
Tip: Fish out both bay leaves. They are unpleasant to bite into.
8
Adjust the texture
- For a creamier soup, blend with an immersion blender in short pulses for 15 to 20 seconds total, leaving some texture.
- Alternatively, mash against the side of the pot with a potato masher for about 1 minute.
- Stir the chopped ham back into the soup.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The soup is thick and mostly smooth, with some small pieces of carrot and ham still visible.
Tip: Hold the blender fully submerged to avoid splattering hot soup.
9
Season and finish
- Stir in the cider vinegar.
- Set the pot over low heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, then taste.
- Add salt ½ teaspoon at a time, stirring and tasting after each addition, and more pepper if you like.
- If the soup is thicker than you'd like, thin with water, ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Flavor is smoky and savory with a slight brightness, and the soup thickly coats the back of a spoon but still drops easily off it.
Tip: Season only now. The ham and broth contribute salt, and the soup concentrates as it cooks.
10
Rest and serve
- Turn off the heat and let the soup stand for 5 minutes, since it thickens a bit as it cools.
- Ladle into warm bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Soup is thick, steaming and spoonable, not runny.

Good to know

Tips

Stir the bottom of the pot regularly. Split pea soup thickens as it cooks and scorches easily.
Target consistency: thick like loose porridge, so a spoon leaves a trail that slowly fills in. If too thick, add water ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time. If too thin, simmer uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes.
Old dried peas can take longer to soften, so extend the simmer by 15 to 20 minutes if they are still firm, adding ½ cup (120 ml) water if the pot looks dry.
Serve with crusty bread or crisp croutons for extra texture.

Make ahead

"The soup tastes even better the next day. Cook through step 9 (Season and finish), skip the 5-minute stand, cool for up to 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. To serve, reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding ¼ to ½ cup (60–120 ml) water or broth per serving, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), then garnish as in step 10.

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: cool and store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding ¼ to ½ cup (60–120 ml) water or broth per serving to loosen, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C)."

Substitutions

smoked ham hock → smoked turkey leg or 8 oz (225 g) diced smoked ham plus 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. A turkey leg gives a similar smoky flavor and cooks in about the same time. Diced ham can go in at the start.
low-sodium chicken broth → water or vegetable broth. Use water alone for a milder soup. If you do, season a bit more generously at the end.
apple cider vinegar → fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar. Use the same amount, 1 tablespoon (15 ml).
olive oil → unsalted butter. Use the same amount for a richer flavor.