The epitome of winter soups, the salty and smoky flavour from the ham hock bone and flesh, and the texture and earthiness of the split peas makes for a most thick and delicious combo. This recipe makes a huge batch, so you can freeze some for a future meal.
How to make pea and ham soup: key tips
Frying the onion, carrot and celery before adding it to the pot provides more flavour to the soup than simply tossing the vegies in the pot to boil and is an important step that shouldn’t be missed.
When you are simmering the soup, it’s a good idea to check the pot now and again and skim any fat and impurities from the surface.
Key ingredients in this pea and ham soup recipe
You can buy a ham hock from the butcher or supermarket, but this soup is also perfect for making use of a leftover glazed Christmas ham bone that still has plenty of meat on it. The bacon bones are optional in this recipe, but they will add extra depth and smokiness to the soup.
The split peas you use can be green or yellow, although I like using green split peas so that my finished soup is a delightful green colour. You can toss unsoaked peas into the pot, as they will cook and soften just fine, however soaking them overnight will help to eliminate sugars which can cause uncomfortable bloating in some. You can also use canned split peas in this recipe, if you would prefer not to soak the peas overnight or you don’t have the time.
Like to experiment with your pea and ham soups? These 8 pea and ham soups will help you kick off winter and make use of other ingredients such as potato, leeks and carrots. And if healthy soups are on your radar, we’ve gathered 10 of the best classic healthy soups, from broths to minestrones, vegetable-packed soups and green soups.
This recipe was originally submitted by Jules2, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.
Ingredients
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks finely chopped
- 3.5L chicken stock (liquid)
- 400g split peas rinsed soaked overnight
- 1 ham hock
- 500g bacon bones optional
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
Method
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Step 1Fry onion, celery and carrot for 5 minutes.
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Step 2Add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.
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Step 3Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 2-2 1/2 hours or until the ham hocks are tender and the meat is falling away from the bones. Remove the ham hocks and bacon bones from the pan. Remove meat from the bones and coarsely chop. Discard the bones.
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Step 4Remove one-quarter of the pea mixture from the pan and reserve. Use a hand-held blender to blitz the remaining pea mixture in the pan until smooth. Return the meat and reserved pea mixture to the pan. Stir over medium-high heat until heated through.
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Step 5Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve.
Recipe Notes
How can I serve pea and ham soup?
Sprinkle your soup liberally with freshly ground black pepper – you’ll be glad you did. You can also scatter each bowl with finely chopped fresh continental parsley leaves. And don’t forget to serve your soup with crusty bread for dunking.
How do I keep pea and ham soup?
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This soup can also be frozen in batches for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave, to serve.
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