What do you make with leftover ham? Well, Split Pea Soup of course! It’s a fun and tasty soup make super quickly with ingredients you likely have, other than the split peas of course. 😉
This thick Instant Pot Soup is full of flavor and a favorite soup recipe in many cultures.
Split Pea Soup
8 Servings | Ready in 20 Mins | Good for Dinner | 6 Qt Instant Pot
It’s a given in our home after we make a spiral ham that we use the leftovers for Split Pea Soup. I’m always amazed how quickly this recipe comes together.
It may not look like much, but this Split Pea Soup Recipe is wonderfully delicious. It also freezes well and perfect to save a bowl for a cold day.
As I write this post, my husband is eating a bowl of this thick soup. He loves it. I think it’s his favorite soup.
He likes to dip Air Fryer Cheese Bread into his Soup and I really don’t blame him. I enjoy the added flavor that a good tasted piece of garlic bread brings.
I might also suggest a slice of Cheese Bread with this soup too. I’ve been making cheese bread for decades and I love it.
The cheesy bread dipped in this thick Instant Pot Split Pea Soup recipe is a party in your mouth. Trust me. It’s good!
I have used leftover Spiral Ham in this recipe, however you could cube up ham from a large ham, or purchase a ham steak and dice or even the perfect little diced ham cubes found by the lunch meat section in the grocery store.
It all works. I tend to be very generous on my 2 cup measurements because we like a good hearty soup.
How Long is Split Pea Soup Good For?
If refrigerated properly, Split Pea Soup will last 3 or 4 days. Keep in a covered container and reheat only the portions you will eat at a time.
Can I Freeze Split Pea Soup?
YES, you sure can! In fact, I purposely freeze half this recipe in single serving portions for an easy lunch.
To freeze, place in a freezer Ziploc bag and lay flat
How to Reheat Split Pea Soup
This recipe is easy to reheat. Place the desired amount in a pan over medium/high heat. Add a little broth to thin the soup down a little bit
Stir until you reach a desired temperature
Do you Soak Split Peas?
When making Split Pea Soup in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker I do not soak split peas. There is not need.
How do you puree Split Peas?
Fortunately there is no need to puree Split Peas. Because you had large chunks of carrots and ham you would not want to blend any of it up.
Instead, just stir and the split peas will fall apart turning this soup into a thick delicious Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Can I double the Recipe?
Doubling the recipe when using the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker is easy. However, just make sure the ingredients don't go over the fill line on the inner liner
Or you will have a problem releasing pressure and making a mess.
What are Split Peas?
To make a split pea, the green pea is peeled and dried. Split peas are field peas, they are either yellow or green peas grown specifically for drying
Can I substitute Yellow Split Peas?
Yes you can. Keep everything else the same and enjoy a Yellow Split Pea Soup
How to Make Split Pea Soup Creamy?
Split Pea Soup is a very thick soup all on its own, however if you wish to make it more creamy add 1 cup heavy cream after it has cooked. It will be rich, thick AND creamy!
How to Freeze Split Pea Soup?
We love to freeze Split Pea Soup in Quart Size Zip-lock bags. Fill each back with 2 cups, seal and lay flat. Place in the freezer and allow to freeze.
To thaw, remove from freezer and place in refrigerator overnight. Soup can then be heated on the stove or in the Microwave. Enjoy!
I've also thrown a ham bone into this recipe while cooking for extra added flavors. It works perfectly.
Simply pull the ham bone out when done
Pin this Recipe for Later!
Quick Tips
It’s important to remember to Deglaze your Instant Pot / Pressure cooker after you Saute’.
Deglazing means add thing liquid and scraping to the bottom of the pot to lift up anything that might be cooked and stuck to the pan. This helps prevent the burn notice.
Split Pea Fun Facts
Peas are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, thiamine (B1), iron and phosphorus.
They are also rich in protein, carbohydrate and fibre and low in fat.
A 100 calories serving of peas contains more protein than a whole egg or tablespoon of peanut butter.
MUST TRY RECIPES!
- White Chicken Chili
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Chicken Chili Verde
- Taco Soup
- Chicken Corn Chowder
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup (Copycat fm Cafe Zupas)
- Beef Stew
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup
Bread Recipes for Dipping!
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried Split Peas
- 3-4 Celery Stalks - diced
- 1 small onion - diced
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 4½ cups Broth - Vegetable or Chicken
- 2 cups Diced Ham
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 tbs Butter
- 1 tbs Garlic
Instructions
- Dice and chop the celery, onion, carrots, and ham. Set aside.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute' and wait until it reads "Hot."
- Add Butter and garlic to Instant Pot and sauté.
- Add Onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the Ham Cubes and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the Instant Pot Off.
- Add Broth and deglaze the bottom of the pot if needed.
- Add the diced Carrots, Celery, and Split Peas to the pot.
- Close the lid and set it to manual for 15 minutes. Quickly Release pressure and open the lid.
- Stir. Peas will be broken down and form a thick soup. The more you stir, the smoother the soup will become.
Notes
- Deglaze Pot: If your onions or garlic stick to the bottom of the pot, you must deglaze the pot before setting it to manual mode. Add broth, scrape the bottom of the pot to remove anything stuck to it, and then proceed as normal. This is avoid the "burn notice"
- Immersion Blender: For a smooth soup, use an immersion blender and puree the soup after it's been cooked.
- Storage: Split Pea Soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container, or covered in plastic wrap. Just be sure to allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing it. To reheat, place the desired amount in a pan over medium-high heat. Add a little broth to thin the soup down a little bit. Stir until you reach the desired temperature.
- Freezing: Once the soup has cooled, portion it into freezer-safe bags, or store it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to defrost thoroughly in the rerigerator before reheating it.
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
Julie
Thanks! I had four out of six that liked it at my house! (I used pepperoni because I did not have ham. That provided a good flavor. I did not have broth/stock. I ended up adding water with more butter. I think the pepperoni compensated for the no broth.)
Lisa
This is HANDS DOWN the BEST Pea soup I’ve ever had
Devour Dinner
Thank you Lisa! I love how easy it is to throw together and always love to freeze a bowl or two for later. Such a welcome surprise and great lunch.
Diane
Excellent soup, very much like a soup that takes hours on the stove. I find you don’t need to fry veggies first, just toss everything together and I add a tsp of oregano, I do a natural release as well. Perfect thanks for sharing
Rose
This recipe was easy and delicious! One of my daughter's is a vegetarian. So, I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth and we added already cooked ham to the bowls when it was finished cooking. It was even a hit with my other daughter who doesn't like peas! To make it even quicker, I cut up the veggies the night before and bagged them. I am making it again tomorrow and will use Better Than Boullion Garlic Flavor for the broth.
Devour Dinner
I love hearing reviews like this. Thanks for sharing!
Linda
Can I do a natural release?
In general, I don’t like quick releases
Devour Dinner
You can choose to do a Natural Pressure Release if you wish, It won't change this recipe.
Deb Grupe
How do I adjust this recipe so that the peas are more cooked-through? They were still a little underdone, for my tastes. Aside from that, this was delicious. One of my comfort foods that reminds me of my mom's cooking!
Devour Dinner
Hi Deb. You can add additional time if you wish. A Minute or two should do the trick!
Linette
This was amazing! I was a little worried after I did the quick release as it took over 30 minutes for the red valve to drop. Once I opened the pot up it was perfect! I will definitely make this again. It was also extremely easy and instructions super easy to follow.
Devour Dinner
Hi Linette, Oh wow... Something must of happened to have the quick release take 30 minutes. That is CRAZY long. But I'm so glad you loved the soup. It's a keeper recipe for sure.
Barbara McNichols
Split Pea Soup has always been a crowd pleaser in our home and your is a tasty recipe! I used a ham bone, smoked hocks and leftover ham for my last batch in an 8qt IP. Also used minced garlic. How do you prep your garlic?
Devour Dinner
Using a ham bone is a great idea. I use minced garlic in my cooking. Pressed Garlic is also a great alternative too.