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.
Sheli H
This recipe is amazing! My family looked at me like I was crazy when I said what I was going to make and said “eww I’m not eating that.” I was cool with that because it meant more for me, but my extremely picky teenager devoured it! Needless to say that wasn’t really any left overs for tomorrow’s lunch!
Devour Dinner
Hahaha, Thanks for the giggle Sheli! It's funny how the color or texture will turn people away but if they just get a taste they will be hooked! So glad you enjoyed
carolyn s
I am wondering if I can put potatoes in this recipe also? I have made pea soup often but never in the IP. We like potatoes cubed up in ours. Would it be ok?
Devour Dinner
Hi Carolyn, you can always add a little extra. Adding cubed potatoes would be delicious. Enjoy!
Florence A Ravalese
Can I make this without an instant pot? I'm dying to try this recipe!
Devour Dinner
You can, cooking on the stove will take longer on a low simmer. It would be just as delicious.
Bill
Love this recipe being Vegan I just eliminated the ham and I added a little liquid smoke and a tsp of smoked paprika
Amy
Having a vegan to cook for, can you suggest something other then liquid smoke? I’m not a big fan of the taste and I’m trying to please everyone. Love paprika but still want the ham/bacon taste.
Devour Dinner
Hi Amy, If you are trying to please a variety of food preferences my suggestion would be to serve Ham on the side and allow others to add it to their soup if they wish. Everyone is happy in the end.
Val
Adding a half of large parnisp or a small one. It adds an earthy delicious flavor to this soup. Great recipe!
Devour Dinner
That's a great idea Val! Thanks for the idea
William
Easy peasy and delicious. A real crowd pleaser. I buy a spirol cut have after the holidays when it goes on sale and what I don't eat goes into the freezer. Then it's like getting ham for free for my recipes.
Michele
I made this soup for the 1st time period it was so yummy. My grandmother used to make pea soup with ham and I loved it
Devour Dinner
I'm so happy to hear this Michele! It's a wonderful soup that is loved by so many.
Kerrie
Followed the recipe and it was a hit! Family chose this over pizza last Friday night.
LeAnn
I have the Walmart version of instant pot so I need to adjust some of the settings. I love how it is an easy recipe with having everything on hand. We aren’t into all the different spices like parsley etc. The only thing I had to change as I had to cook it longer than 15 minutes. It’s cooking now with an added 10 minutes. The taste was excellent but peas were still a little hard. Can’t wait to have a bowl full!
Devour Dinner
Hi LeAnn, Make sure your Pressure Cooker is cooking on "High" that should help in the cooking process. I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. It really is delcious!
Mike B.
A very easy to make one pot meal!
Devour Dinner
Thanks Mike! We sure love this recipe.
Laura
I had to cook mine longer also but my peas were about 20 yrs old 😬. It turned out delicious after an additional 15 min. Older peas will take longer (hopefully you use yours up quicker than I did or don’t have to dig in the back of your food storage to find some so you don’t have to go to the store 😉
Devour Dinner
Hi Laura! I can honestly say that I have not recipe tested with 20 year old peas. 😉 But I'm glad it all worked out for you.
Valerie Peloso
Delicious soup ! I did half it and it was perfect.
I have shared the recipe with my family
Devour Dinner
Hi Valerie, I'm so glad you enjoyed the Split Pea Soup. It is delicious and a favorite of ours to make anytime we have ham!
Mel
If I double this recipe will it still work in my large Instant Pot?
Devour Dinner
Hi Mel, You can double the recipe as long as you don't have ingredients above the "fill" line of your pot. Also be aware that soups will "spit" out the vent when releasing pressure. You might want to allow additional time to Naturally release with such a full pot.
Jennifer
Super easy recipe. I also added a ham bone which which made the soup taste great.
Devour Dinner
Hi Jennifer! So glad you enjoyed the Split Pea Soup Recipe, it is delicious!
Dee
OMG! I love it. I guess I will get rid of my slow cooker that takes 6 hours to cook pea soup.
Devour Dinner
Hi Dee! Making Split Pea Soup in the Instant Pot is such a time saver and as you found out, this soup is delicious! Thanks for the awesome review.
Mike R
I really enjoyed this recipe and l enjoy being able to have left overs. I put the extra in the freezer as I am only home on the weekends.
Devour Dinner
Thanks Mike! I always freeze some leftovers for later and I'm always thrilled when I have some later. Always so good.
Barbara Sherman
I use kielbasa in addition to the ham
Nancy
This is super similar to my recipe and I think this will be my new go-to since it's for the Instant Pot. The only difference in mine is, I cook onions and butter in a tiny skillet, low and slow, for an hour. Then add in a teaspoon more or less of dill. Just before serving mix the onion/dill mixture in the soup. It's great with or without it. Just a fantastic recipe.
Devour Dinner
Hi Nancy, Thank you for the Raving Review! I love your addition of Dill, what a fun idea!
Alicia Disteso
Delicious this is about the third or fourth time I made it and every time the family raves over it! I add a bit more that ;1/2 cups of broth and also the whole bag of peas. Also more ham than recipe calls for.
Deb Hohmann
Wow!!! Healthy, insanely delicious, incredibly easy comfort food soup! I made 1 1/2 the recipe so we would have leftovers. 💖💖
Devour Dinner
Leftovers are always welcome in my home! It's a wonderful Recipe that we love
Billie
Hi Vicki
I am making this soup right now and my husband can’t wait for it to finish. It smells terrific. Thank you for the recipe.
Devour Dinner
Hi Billie! I sure hope you liked this recipe. It's a keeper. Also you can freeze extra portions for another day. It's a perfect lunch when you need it.
Mary
Super easy to make and it was delicious.
Kerry
Perfect! I only had leftover ham, no bone. Followed everything else to a T, and it’s great!
Devour Dinner
That's what I love about this recipe, Leftover ham works perfectly!
Terri Carpenter
Do you have to soak the peas first or just put them in dry?
Devour Dinner
Great Question Terri! I will rinse the Split Peas and then throw them in. No need to soak for this recipe!
Evelyne Grenfell
Made this today using chopped up bacon,had no celery but chopped up some bok choy and threw it in. Truly the most delicious pea soup I've ever made and so easy.
Devour Dinner
Isn't it great??? Seriously so simple and oh so good! So glad you loved it too! 😉
Nancy F
This was so easy & delicious! Reminded me if my mom’s homemade split pea w/ham soup, that I unfortunately never got the recipe for.
Devour Dinner
Hi Nancy! That's the BEST Review ever! Thanks so much and I'm so glad you found a recipe that reminds you of hers.
Frances Cohen
Can I use the same receipe but not include any meat?
Thank you.
Devour Dinner
Hi Frances! You can certainly omit the ham if you wish. However, you might want too add some salt to the recipe if you choose to leave the ham out. The ham is full of salt, so the recipe could be lacking without it. I would put 1/2 tsp salt into the recipe and still possibly add salt to each bowl depending on your liking.
Sheia Pleasant-Doine
Frances, I am a vegetarian and I always add a little Liquid Smoke to my split pea soup to replace the ham. I did that with this recipe, and it turned out great.
Devour Dinner
What a great idea Sheia! Thanks so much for sharing that tip!
Vicki
This recipe is delicious! I made it just as it was written (I used store-bought small-cubed ham because the family ate all the leftover Thanksgiving ham!). I thought I might need to add some liquid smoke at the end. NO - I didn't. I thought I might need to use my immersion blender and add some cream at the end. NO - I didn't. This soup is lovely and creamy and delicious just the way it is. My adult son was looking in my pressure cooker and said, "oh, good - there's more" - probably one of the best compliments from one of my kids.
Devour Dinner
Hi Vicki! I love hearing this. Your comments made me smile, why? Well, I love a good creamy soup and initially planned on adding cream to this recipe, but felt in the end it just didn't need it. We love the chunky bits of carrot and celery and ham. It's packed full of great flavor just how it is without over-doing it. You hit it perfect in your comments. I'm so glad to hear the success!