Split Pea & Ham Soup
Thick, creamy, smokey and so delicious, this Split Pea & Ham Soup is very satisfying! This is a great recipe to have during the cold winter months.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. basil leaves (about 3 large leaves), chiffonaded (substitute 1 tsp. dried basil leaves) Footnote
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves (substitute 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves)
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups white onions, chopped
- 1 cup celery, diced tips & tricks
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 cups (1 lb.) dried green split peas, rinsed and sorted
- 1 lb. (500g) smoked ham shank or hock
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 1/4 to 1 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt, if needed
Directions
- Make a bouquet garni by placing basil & thyme leaves with the bay leaf in a sachet or cheesecloth (*see footnote). Tie the bag shut or if using cheesecloth, use kitchen twine and set aside.
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add butter. When melted, add onions, carrots and celery; season with freshly ground black pepper. Cook the vegetables until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. If using dried basil and thyme instead of the bouquet garni, add them along with the garlic.
- Add the split peas, ham, chicken & vegetable broth, lemon juice, and the bouquet garni; stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 ½ hours, flipping the ham every 15 minutes and stirring occasionally.
- Halfway through cooking, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir often.
- Carefully remove the ham and place it on a cutting board. Remove the skin, fat and bone; discard them. Cut the meat into small pieces and return to the soup. Cook for the remaining time.
- Ten minutes before the end of cooking, taste and adjust if necessary; it might need more pepper or salt. Add more broth if it gets too thick.
- Just before serving, remove the sachet and discard it.
Notes
Footnote: If you are using dried basil and/or thyme, there's no need to use a sachet or cheesecloth. Add them after sautéing the garlic. Add the bay leaf with the broth.