Easy, Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is the best pressure cooker recipe for leftover ham soup using ham bone or smoked ham hocks, broth, lentils, and other veggies. You can even make this soup in a slow-cooker. For a vegan-friendly, vegetarian dish omit the meat and use vegetable broth.
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This post was originally published in 2019. It has since been updated.
FOR THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END OF THIS POST. BEFORE YOU SCROLL, THERE'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG POST.
Whether you need a reason to use up Easter or Thanksgiving holiday spiral ham leftovers, or just craving a warm, hearty soup, this dish is for you!
After a big holiday, many are left wondering what to do with the ham bone. You make leftover ham soup!
Is split pea soup good for you? It can be! Split peas are loaded in nutrients, similar to beans. You can even cut the fat in this recipe by using turkey instead of ham.
This soup typically takes a few hours for the stovetop version. Using an electric pressure cooker will result in a total cook time of about an hour from start to finish.
Table of Contents
What are Split Peas?
Split peas are a legume. They are similar to lentils but different. They come in green and yellow shades. The peas are hulled and split in half, which helps them cook faster without the need to soak them. Split peas are high in fiber and protein. Green split peas are sweeter and less starchy than yellow split peas. About 2 cups of split peas are in a pound. You can read more about What Split Peas Are here.
Do You Need to Soak the Peas Before Cooking?
No, do not soak the split peas. Rinse the split peas and examine them for items that may need to be removed from the batch.
How to Make Split Pea Soup in an Instant Pot
- Saute onions, garlic, celery, and carrots in olive oil.
- Add in chicken broth, ham or a turkey leg, split peas, a bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper to the pot.
- Seal and pressure cook for 15 minutes.
- Perform a natural of release the steam for 15 minutes.
- Cool before serving.
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Cook Time/How Long to Cook
I like to cook it for 15 minutes and then natural release the steam for 15 minutes.
How Much Water is Needed
You will only need water for this soup if you choose not to use broth and use Better Than Bouillon instead. You will need 5 cups of water and a couple of tablespoons of the base.
Freezer Tips
Absolutely! This soup can be frozen in air-tight containers or freezer bags for 2-3 months. Defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator. You can read more about How to Freeze Split Pea Soup here.
What to Pair With the Soup
- Air Fryer Pull Apart Cheese Bread
- Homemade Southern Cornbread
- Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
- Keto Low Carb Cornbread
- Croutons
- Sliced ham
- Sausage
Recipe Tips
- You can use any type of meat you want in this recipe. Traditionally it is made with ham. As such, ham hocks, a ham bone, or cubed ham can be used. You can even use bacon (I recommend you saute it in the Instant Pot first) or sausage. I've also made this recipe using a smoked turkey leg or turkey wing. My family has made the switch from ham hocks to turkey legs for a lot of our traditional recipes. I switch it up and use one or the other for this dish.
- You can add peeled, cubed potatoes to the soup if you wish. Potatoes only need to cook for 5 minutes in the Instant Pot. So you will have to cook them separately or use a second Instant Pot, or a standard cooking method.
- Instead of broth, you can combine Better Than Bouillon with water (5 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of base). You can use the ham or chicken flavored bases.
- For a vegan or vegetarian soup, omit the meat and use vegetable broth.
- You can use a slow-cooker in this recipe and cook the soup for 5-6 hours on Low.
- Freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
More Instant Pot Soups
Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Zoodle Soup
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Olive Garden Soup
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
Instant Pot French Onion Soup
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Easy, Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chopped fresh carrots
- 1 cup chopped fresh celery
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 pound dried split peas (green) rinsed, but not soaked. The peas may get sticky when rinsed, this is normal.
- 1.5 pounds of ham hocks you can also use 2 cups cubed ham or a smoked turkey leg or wing
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Ham Base optional, I like to add it in addition to using broth for more flavor
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the Instant Pot on the saute setting. When hot, add the olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are soft and fragrant. If you are using cubed ham, add it in here as well.
- Add the broth, split peas, ham hocks, thyme, bay leaf, Better Than Bouillon, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. I usually go light on the salt and pepper here and adjust more to taste once the soup has cooked.
- Seal the pot with the lid and seal. Cook for 15 minutes on Manual > High-Pressure Cooking.
- When the pot indicates it has finished, allow steam to release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Open the pot and remove the bay leaf and ham hock bones. Remove and ham meat from the bones of the ham hock (I usually don't have a ton of meat on the ham hocks I buy) and return it to the pot.
- Stir the soup until it's creamy. Taste repeatedly and add salt and pepper as necessary. Serve in bowls.
Video
Notes
- You can use any type of meat you want in this recipe. Traditionally it is made with ham. As such, ham hocks, a ham bone, or cubed ham can be used. You can even use bacon (I recommend you saute it in the Instant Pot first) or sausage. I've also made this recipe using a smoked turkey leg or turkey wing. My family has made the switch from ham hocks to turkey legs for a lot of our traditional recipes. I switch it up and use one or the other for this dish.
- You can add peeled, cubed potatoes to the soup if you wish. Potatoes only need to cook for 5 minutes in the Instant Pot. So you will have to cook them separately or use a second Instant Pot, or a standard cooking method.
- Instead of broth, you can combine Better Than Bouillon with water (5 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of base). You can use the ham or chicken flavored bases.
- For a vegan or vegetarian soup, omit the meat and use vegetable broth.
- You can use a slow-cooker in this recipe and cook the soup for 5-6 hours on Low.
- Freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Lydia says
Thank you, for your recipe, very informative. And options, I used Turkey legs, but just reading all the helpful info along the way. Was a bonus, even the video was a plus. So thank you, for taking the time to out this alltogether, I am presently waiting for the 15 minute NR but it smells amazing, I'm confident it will be delish,
staysnatched says
You’re very welcome! I hope you enjoy it.
Anonymous says
It's natural releasing now, and it smells amazing in my house.?
Thank you for your recipe.
Stephanie Raynes says
Thank you for the recipe.
It's natural releasing right now, my house smells amazing. ?
staysnatched says
I hope you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
delish!
staysnatched says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mary says
Can I cook 2 lbs of peas in a 6 qt. Instapot. If so do I doubke the recipe. All but the water.
staysnatched says
You should be able to. I have never done it.
Pat Marino says
Best pea soup ever. Thank you. Pat
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Kay says
So happy that I didn’t get rid of my Instant Pot...this was the second time I have used it. This soup is sooo yummy!, My house smelled amazing and the recipe was so easy to follow. I’m looking forward to making the Autumn Squash this week (because I LOVE Panera’s) and the Zuppa Toscana next week. Soup all winter long! And they all work with my macros, now where’s my crusty bread.....winner, winner
staysnatched says
Yum! That sounds like an amazing combo.
Kate says
This soup is perfect and so easy! I used cubed ham and Better than Bouillon Vegetable base because I was out of chicken. Thank you for another comfort food staple, Brandi.
staysnatched says
YUM! That sounds great.
Jovan says
Seriously easy and delicious soup! I had some leftover ham from the holidays and this was a perfect way to reuse it! Perfect for cold winter nights!
staysnatched says
Yum! and yes I totally agree!
Sharon V says
Great recipe - perfect consistency! A warm and filling soup and so easy to make!
staysnatched says
I'm glad you found it easy to make!
Nielle says
I had a friend staying with us who would always make split pea soup. It was good but had a mush consistency. I’ve been craving it recently but knew I needed to look up a recipe to see how much liquid should really go in. This recipe turned out perfectly and oh so delicious! No mush here. Will be making this again and again!
staysnatched says
Glad to hear you will be making it again!
Erika says
Great classic pea soup recipe! Sadly I have no instant pot but cooking it on the stovetop worked out fine.
staysnatched says
I'm glad it worked out!
Amanda Burkard-Sell says
Love this soup! Easy enough for a weeknight meal, but tastes like it took all day. I could only find yellow split peas, but they tasted just fine. I'll definitely make this again.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Tamika says
I never had split pea soup until now. This is so good and flavorful. Thank you for this recipe
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.