Split pea soup with ham is a hearty and comforting soup that is packed with flavor. The split peas provide a subtle earthiness and nuttiness while the ham adds a smoky, salty and savory flavor that complements the sweetness of the peas. A wonderful recipe for leftover ham thats packed with veggies.

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

You'll often find yourself the day after a holiday with lots of leftover ham. Extend the life of that delicious smokey meat and make a pot of rich split pea soup with ham. A one pot meal to make your weeknight dinner stress free.

Do you need some inspiration for your next holiday ham? Try my Air Fryer Holiday Ham thats done in 30 minutes! If you have more time on your hands my Baked Spiral Ham with pineapple is worth the wait. Both should provide plenty of leftovers to make this soup and more!

Ingredients

Here is what you'll need for this delicious soup:

• Olive Oil
• Vegetables - A fragrant melody of onions, carrots, and celery all chopped before sauteing.
• Garlic - Freshly chopped or jarred minced garlic.
• Dried thyme leaves
• Chicken Broth or vegetable broth - Whichever you have on hand will be great!
• Water
• Dried Green Split Peas - You'll be able to find these in or around where you'd get dried beans or rice. Make sure they've been rinsed and sorted before adding them to your pot.
• Ham Bone with ham meat attached - Your local grocery store butcher should be able to acquire a ham bone for you if there isn't one readily available.
• Bay Leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Tools needed for this recipe

• Heavy-bottomed pot like a dutch oven or similar.

How To Make Split Pea Soup with Ham

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables have softened. About 8-10 minutes.

Add the dried thyme leaves and stir. Add chicken broth, water, green split peas, ham bone, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer, covered, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 1 hour, until the soup is thick and the peas have disintegrated.

Remove the bay leaves and ham bone. Remove any ham from the ham bone and add the ham meat back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to store leftover split pea and ham soup

Store your leftover split pea soup with ham in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Freezing leftover soup is a great option if you'd like to keep it for longer. Portion the soup in Souper Cubes for up to 3 months. Souper Cubes are such an easy way to store liquid and even easier to remove and thaw the perfect amount.

Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

Crockpot or Slowcooker: Prep your ingredients and place them in a slow cooker. Place the lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours, until the peas are tender and falling apart. Remove the bay leaves and the ham bone. Add any meat still on the bone back to the soup.

Instant Pot: Use the saute function of your Instant Pot to sweat the vegetables. Once softened add the remaining ingredients to the instant pot. Lock on the lid and seal the valve. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, and naturally release for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and ham bone.

For either recipe you can leave the soup chunky or before adding the ham back in use an immersion blender for a pureed split pea soup. Top with ham and salt and pepper to taste.

Split Pea and Ham Soup Serving Suggestions

This soup is rich and hearty on its own, but can absolutely be dressed up or paired with tasty sides. I like to top mine with extra smoked ham and freshly shaved parmesan.

Bread: Soup is always delicious when served with a crusty bread or croutons. Try our Classic Southern Cornbread Recipe or these Easy Cornbread Muffins

Roasted Vegetables: Serve a medly of roasted carrots and onions on top of your soup. Try these Air Fryer Carrots, make them sweet or savory.

Salad: They don't call it soup and salad for nothing. A simple side salad or cobb salad would be refreshing next to a hearty savory soup.

FAQ's

Notes

• I use a ham bone from a fully cooked smoked ham that has about ½ cup to 1 cup of meat still attached to the bone.
• If you don't have a ham bone, feel free to substitute it with chopped ham or bacon. If using bacon, cook the bacon beforehand and add it to the soup when the soup is finished cooking. If using chopped ham, add it to the soup when there are about 10 minutes left to cook.

Looking for more soup recipes? Try these out:

• Zuppa Toscana Recipe
• Lentil Spinach Soup
• 15 Bean Soup
• Oxtail Soup
• Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

 If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Split pea soup with ham is a hearty and comforting soup that is packed with flavor. The split peas provide a subtle earthiness and nuttiness while the ham adds a smoky, salty and savory flavor that complements the sweetness of the peas. A wonderful recipe for leftover ham thats packed with veggies.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: split pea soup with ham

Servings: 9 servings

Calories: 220kcal

Author: Tanya

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 medium Onion chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic chopped
• 2 Carrots chopped
• 2 stalks Celery chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dried thyme leaves
• 4 cups Chicken Broth or vegetable broth
• 2 cups Water
• 1 pound Dried Green Split Peas rinsed and sorted
• 1 Ham Bone with ham meat attached (see note)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables have softened. About 8-10 minutes.
• Add the dried thyme leaves and stir. Add chicken broth, water, green split peas, ham bone, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer, covered, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 1 hour, until the soup is thick and the peas have disintegrated.
• Remove the bay leaves and ham bone. Remove any ham from the ham bone and add the ham meat to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

• I use a ham bone from a fully cooked smoked ham that has about ½ cup to 1 cup of meat still attached to the bone.
• If you don't have a ham bone, feel free to substitute it with chopped ham or bacon. If using bacon, cook the bacon beforehand and add it to the soup when the soup is finished cooking. If using chopped ham, add it to the soup when there are about 10 minutes left to cook.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2394IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg

You'll love this lentil spinach soup! It's the perfect, easy one-pot dinner for Meatless Monday - packed full of protein from lentils. With bold seasonings and a touch of hot sauce, this lentil spinach soup will tantalize your taste buds!

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

Lentils are my go-to ingredient when I want a fulfilling meat-free dish. Sometimes I'll add them to a flavourful sausage soup, and other times, I keep the dish meatless, like this Creamy Carrot and Lentil Soup. No matter which soup you make, lentils are sure to provide deliciousness, nutrition, and convenience in every pot!

Ingredients

• Olive oil - Canola oil, or avocado oil will work here as well.
• Yellow onion - White onion or sweet onion will also work. The onion should be chopped.
• Carrots & Celery - Brings flavor!
• Garlic - Minced garlic
• Seasonings - Salt and pepper to taste. Additional flavor is added with ground cumin and oregano.
• Brown lentils - Lentils do not need to be soaked, simply rinse and pick over to remove any debris.
• Vegetable broth - Your favorite will work here. For a different flavor profile, try other broth flavors.
• Fresh spinach leaves - Larger spinach leaves or baby spinach leaves will work.
• Hot sauce - Choose your favorite!

Tools needed for this recipe

• Large pot or Dutch oven
• Wooden spoon
• Cutting board and sharp knife

How To Make Lentil Spinach Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the cumin and oregano.

Add the lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the lentils are softened.

Add the spinach leaves, salt, and pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through. Stir in hot sauce.

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve hot. Enjoy!

How to store

Before storing it in the refrigerator, allow your soup to cool. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.

The soup freezes incredibly well. I like to freeze soups in smaller portions, as this makes it easier to reheat. Souper Cubes are a perfect solution for portioning and freezing soup. Simply pop out a frozen block of soup and warm it on the stove.

Serving suggestions

This hearty and veggie-filled lentil soup is amazing on its own, but to round out this dish into a perfect meal try any of these ideas:

Salad - Make a fresh crisp spinach salad with any leftover spinach you have. For even more protein try my Vietnamese Chicken Salad Recipe. Serving this in the cooler months, try Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad Recipe.

Warm cornbread or dinner rolls - A must-have with soups and stews! My Classic Southern Cornbread Recipe or Golden Sweet Potato Cornbread is always a hit. Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls and Soft Air Fryer Dinner Rolls are perfect for soaking up the broth.

Hot Sandwich - A warm sandwich with soup is a match made in heaven. Air Fryer Shrimp Po’Boy Sandwiches are delicious! Want a heartier sandwich, try my Garlic Butter Cheese Steak Sandwiches, and don't skimp on the garlic butter!

Recipe Substitutions

Lentils - This recipe contains brown lentils. Swap those out for the more nutrient-dense black lentil, or a softer red lentil.

Spinach - Kale is an easy substitute for spinach, a bit more on the bitter side, but the flavors of the soup will easily overpower.

Stock - We use vegetable stock, which keeps this dish meatless. Chicken stock or even garlic stock would taste great in this lentil soup.

Optional Ingredients:

• Small diced potatoes or sweet potatoes
• Ham hock or smoked turkey
• Spritz of lemon juice at the end

FAQs

Notes

• For a thicker soup, use less vegetable stock/broth or mash some of the lentils with a wooden spoon while they are cooking. If you want to add more protein, feel free to add in cooked diced chicken or sausage.
• For a smooth creamy soup, use an immersion blender. Blend completely or partially depending on how smooth you want it.

Looking for more soup recipes? Try these out:

• 15 Bean Soup
• Collard Green Soup
• Creamy Cauliflower Soup
• Oxtail Soup
• Creamy Yellow Squash Soup

 If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Lentil Spinach Soup

You'll love this lentil spinach soup! It's the perfect, easy one-pot dinner for Meatless Monday - packed full of protein from lentils.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lentil spinach soup

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 557kcal

Author: Tanya

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 cup Yellow onion chopped
• ½ cup Carrots diced
• ½ cup Celery chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons Ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1 cup Brown lentils rinsed and picked over
• 4 cups Vegetable broth
• 2 cups Fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon Hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the cumin and oregano.
• Add the lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the lentils are softened.
• Add the spinach leaves, salt, and pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through. Stir in hot sauce.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Notes

• For a thicker soup, use less vegetable stock/broth or mash some of the lentils with a wooden spoon while they are cooking. If you want to add more protein, feel free to add in cooked diced chicken or sausage.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 2146mg | Potassium: 1439mg | Fiber: 33g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 9366IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 10mg