Easy, Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
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.
Servings 8
Calories 481kcal
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
- 1/2 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
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 19g