Split pea soup
SKILL LEVEL :
Easy but takes some timeNot your grandmother's split pea soup
If you think of split pea soup as an overly thick green sludge, this lighter, vegetable-dense take on the old classic may change your mind about split pea soup. It is loaded with  vegetables and flavored with meaty ham hocks. I throw in an optional rind from a spent chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano for a little umami boost.
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Minimal preparation and freezes well
This satisfying winter soup is hearty enough for a one-pot meal and freezes well for future meals. Preparation time is only about 20 minutes, and then it is slow cooked on the stove for 1 1/2 hours.
PrintSplit pea soup
A hearty stick-to-your-ribs, this one-pot winter soup freezes well for future meals. Loaded with vegetables and flavored with ham hocks, this is a great winter soup.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups carrots, chopped (about 4 carrots)
- 2 cups celery, chopped ( about 4 stalks)
- 2 bay leaves
- 11 cups of chicken stock
- 1 pound potatoes, in 1/2″ dice, (2 1/2 cups)
- 1 pound split peas, washed (about 2 cups)
- 3 cups of canned chopped tomatoes (or 1 box Pomi tomatoes)
- 3 meaty smoked ham hocks (1 3/4 pounds)
- 1 rind of Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)
- 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 t dried oregano
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven. Saute the onions and garlic for about 4 minutes until they soften. Add carrots, celery and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for another couple minutes.
- Add chicken stock, potatoes, split peas, chopped tomatoes, ham hocks, Parmigiano Reggiano rind and herbs. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove the ham hocks and let cool. Shred meat, removing any fat, and return the meat to the soup pot. Season with salt and pepper.
THIS SERVES WELL WITH
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This soup is delicious! It was my first time cooking with ham hocks, and to be honest I was a little dubious. Waylay your fears, it is a great recipe and the ham hocks are what makes it soo good. Do yourself a favor and try this recipe.
Yum!
Hi Cameron, I’m so glad you didn’t let the ham hocks get in the way! They do add great smokey flavor and if you get good ones there is often a considerable amount of lean meat on them. I began using ham hocks in soup when I learned how to make Portuguese Bean Soup when I was a kid in Honolulu. Ham hocks make all of the difference!