When I was a child, my thoughts about Split Pea Soup were not good. It was something my grandparents ate from a can. It didn’t look appealing at all because really what kid wants anything green? Then, when I was a young adult, I tried a fabulous lady’s Split Pea Soup because she was my mother-in-law and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Also, I knew she was an excellent cook. That’s when the skies opened up and I realized Split Pea Soup was a comfort-food delight if made from scratch.

It became a regular dinner after the holidays in our house that my kids ate not realizing it was something to turn their nose to. My oldest asks me to make Split Pea Soup when she comes to visit.

You can use the left-over ham bone from your holiday dinner to get every last bite. Not to mention, Split Pea Soup is packed with protein and fiber. If you leave out the ham and use vegetable broth, it is a perfect Vegan dish that is hearty and packed with flavor.

Old Fashion Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 TBSP Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, chopped (enough for 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

4 cups chicken, turkey broth or vegetable broth (for Vegan recipe)

4 cups water

1 16 ounce bag of dried split peas, rinsed

2 bay leaves

fresh thyme (about 1 tsp) or dried (1/2 tsp)

salt and pepper to taste

ham bone (preferably with meat still on it. I finely chop an extra piece or two of ham that I save) or one pre-packed ham steak, diced. You can omit the ham altogether for a Vegan recipe.

Chopped parsley for garnish (always optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot on medium heat (again I use my Dutch oven for everything). Add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the broth and water. Add the split peas, bay leaves and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste (lightly if you’re adding the ham, which is naturally salty)
  3. Add the ham bone and extra cut ham to the soup pot (omit this step for a Vegan recipe). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  4. Remove the ham bone from the soup mixture and let cool. Then, shave off any extra meat and add it back to the pot. Discard the ham bone.
  5. Season with salt and pepper (I’d taste it before this step because it may not need it) and top with parsley for garnish.

Eat with crusty bread or Saltines like my grandparents!

Enjoy! XOXO Jill