Smoky split-pea soup is the perfect comfort food for a chilly winter day. This soup is easy to make and loaded with a smoky, savory flavor. The smoky flavor comes from a smoked ham hock, which gives the soup a delicious depth of flavor. It’s also a cinch to whip up, with only one pot to clean afterward.
This is an old-time soup that will bring back comforting good memories. Serve a big bowl of this split pea soup as a hot lunch with warm homemade bread or for your main dinner meal with bread and a crispy wedge salad. This easy recipe makes a large, family-size one-pot meal with little clean-up.
Why This Recipe Works:
Opening a can of storebought soup is definitely an easy way to get your fix of split pea soup but I challenge you to try this “made from scratch” recipe. One bowl of this soup and you will not be buying any more cans of soup!
- Smoked ham hocks release a smoky depth of flavor and incredible richness
- Budget friendly
- One-pot meal
- Quick and easy to make
Ingredients Needed to Make Smoky Split Pea Soup:
This split pea soup is a hearty and filling meal that is low-budget and easy to make. Most of the ingredients may already be on hand. This soup is guaranteed to be delicious!
- Dried split-peas. Give the peas a rinse and make sure they don’t have any pebbles.
- Smoked ham hocks. You can find ham hocks fully cooked or uncooked. Smoked ham hocks are fully cooked from the smoking process and they have more flavor.
- Fresh thyme and bay leaves. You can also substitute with dried herbs.
- Chicken stock
- Onions, carrots and celery
- Salt and pepper
- Sour cream for garnish
How to Make Smokey Split-Pea Soup:
The smoked ham hock takes an hour to simmer and infuse all the smoky flavor into the water. It turns the water into a smoky, savory broth. Next, the broth gets used to cook the dried peas and vegetables. Here is a brief run-down on how to make this split pea soup. Please scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full instructions.
- Cook the ham hocks in water then remove and discard them*.
- Add the split peas and herbs. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for one-hour.
- Add the chicken stock, carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables get tender.
- Optional: Process the soup in a blender until smooth and creamy then return to the soup pot to reheat.
Tips for Success
- Cook the ham hock for at least an hour. It takes time to break down all the collogan and extract the smokey flavor.
- Add the vegetables last. If you add the carrots and celery too early, they will get mushy.
- Save the meat. Ham hocks are cut from the bottom part of a pig’s leg and have very little meat. Before discarding the ham hock try to salvage the meat to use as a garnish on each bowl of soup. If you want a lot of ham, check out our recipe for split pea and ham soup.
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh thyme leaves.
- Keep it chunky or make it smooth. We used a blender to puree the soup into a thick and creamy consistency. You can also leave the soup thin and brothy, with chunks of vegetables.
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Smokey Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried split-peas
- 8 cups water
- 2 smoked ham hocks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 bundle of thyme tied with string
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 medium carrots cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish
- 8 tablespoons sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- Check for and discard any pebbles that may have been packaged with the peas and then rinse them in a large strainer and set them aside.
- Add the water to a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed soup pot and add the ham hock and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 1hour. Remove the ham hock and discard. With a strainer, skim any scum and fat from the broth and measure the remaining broth adding additional water to total 8 cups of liquid.
- Add the green peas, onions, thyme bundle, and bay leaves to the measured liquid. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for one hour.
- Add the chicken stock and stir in the chopped carrots and celery. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for an additional 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and what is left of the tied thyme bundle and discard.
- If you want a smooth, thick soup, puree it in a blender. Working in batches, add the soup to a food processor or blender, being careful not to overfill with the hot soup. When all the soup has been processed to a creamy consistency return it to the soup pot and bring it to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of thyme in each bowl as a garnish.
Notes
- Check over the cooked/cooled ham hock before discarding as there may be enough salvageable meat to garnish servings of soup.
- Another option to ham hocks would be ham shanks which is a cut higher up on the pig's leg and has more useable meat.
- If you puree the soup in a blender, add the salvaged meat after the soup gets blended.
