Split Pea Soup with Ham

Name: Split Pea Soup with Ham
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil, or butter, but then the soup is not dairy-free; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 450 g (2¼ cups) dried green split peas, rinsed and picked over; 1 smoked ham hock, about 800 g–1 kg (1¾–2¼ lb); 2 l (8½ cups) water; 2 bay leaves; 3 sprigs thyme; 1 tsp cider vinegar; fine sea salt and black pepper, salt only at the end; the hock is salty

Smoky ham hock, green split peas, and a thick, spoon-standing body

Serves: 6
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 2 h 20 min
Level: Easy

A pot of split peas, a smoked ham hock and a few hours of gentle simmering make a thick, smoky soup that costs very little. Split peas need no soaking; they simply dissolve into a creamy purée while the hock gives up its meat and smoke.

Ingredients

2 tbspolive oilor butter, but then the soup is not dairy-free
1large yellow oniondiced
2carrotsdiced
2celery stalksdiced
2 clovesgarlicchopped
450 gdried green split peas (2¼ cups)rinsed and picked over
1smoked ham hockabout 800 g–1 kg (1¾–2¼ lb)
2 lwater (8½ cups)
2bay leaves
3 sprigsthyme
1 tspcider vinegar
fine sea salt and black peppersalt only at the end; the hock is salty

Diet: Dairy-free, Gluten-free
Allergens: celery, sulphites
Season: Autumn, Winter

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened, 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic for the last minute. 10 min
Add the split peas, ham hock, water, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Cook partly covered, stirring every 20 minutes and scraping the bottom (split peas catch easily), until the peas have collapsed and the meat is falling from the hock, 1½–2 hours. Add water if it gets too thick to stir. 1 h 45 min
Lift out the hock. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin, fat and bones and shred the meat.
Remove the herbs. For a smoother soup, blend about half of it with a stick blender; or leave it rustic.
Return the meat, stir in the vinegar, and season with pepper and salt if needed. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon heavily.

Why it works

Split peas are skinned and halved, so water penetrates quickly and their starch gelatinizes into a natural purée without soaking. The hock's collagen melts into gelatin over the long simmer, adding body, while its smoke perfumes the whole pot. A splash of vinegar at the end cuts through the richness and makes the flavors distinct.

Common mistakes

Salting early: the hock releases a lot of salt. Taste only at the end.
Not stirring: split peas settle and scorch on the bottom. Stir and scrape regularly.
Expecting it to stay loose: it thickens dramatically as it cools; thin with water when reheating.

Variations

Vegetarian: Skip the hock, use Vegetable Stock and add 1 tsp smoked paprika with the garlic and a parmesan rind or 1 tbsp miso at the end.
Yellow pea soup (Nordic ertesuppe): Use yellow split peas, salted pork shank, and serve with mustard on the side.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps 5 days in the fridge and 3 months frozen. Better the next day.

Notes

Smoked bacon (200 g, diced and browned at the start) can stand in for the hock; simmer just 1 hour.