Name: Split Pea and Ham Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 medium-large yellow onion, chopped (about 1.5 cups); 2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup); 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons); 1 (16-oz) bag dried split peas, picked over and rinsed; 3 ½ cups water, or more as needed; 3 cups low sodium chicken broth, or more as needed; 1 bay leaf, optional; salt & pepper, to taste; 1 meaty ham bone, or 1 pound cooked and diced ham; ½ pound yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅓-inch pieces (optional); 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ⅓-inch pieces (optional); lemon juice and parsley, optional to serve

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium-large yellow onion, chopped (about 1.5 cups)
2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 (16-oz) bag dried split peas, picked over and rinsed
3 ½ cups water, or more as needed
3 cups low sodium chicken broth, or more as needed
1 bay leaf, optional
salt & pepper, to taste
1 meaty ham bone, or 1 pound cooked and diced ham
½ pound yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅓-inch pieces (optional)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ⅓-inch pieces (optional)
lemon juice and parsley, optional to serve

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Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and butter. Sauté the onion and celery for 5-8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds.
Stir in the split peas, then add the water, chicken broth, and bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Uncover and stir, then nestle the ham bone into the soup (or stir in diced ham). Cover and continue simmering for about 1 hour, until the ham and peas are tender. If using carrots and potatoes, add them for the last 20 minutes of cooking. Adjust water/broth for desired consistency. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes for a thicker soup.
Remove the ham bone from the soup after 10 minutes of resting. Shred the ham and if the peas and vegetables are not fully cooked, continue simmering. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Stir the shredded ham into the soup, allow it to heat through, and serve with a splash of lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, omit the ham bone and use vegetable broth.
Add other vegetables like spinach or kale in the last few minutes of cooking for added nutrition.
This soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and freezes well for later use.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 250
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 600mg
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Fiber: 10g
Protein: 15g
Cholesterol: 30mg

Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.