There’s something deeply nostalgic about a bowl of split pea soup. It’s thick, hearty, and soul warming; the kind of meal that feels like a hug from your grandmother. But traditionally, split pea soup requires hours of simmering on the stovetop to get that creamy, velvety texture and deep, smoky flavor. Who has that kind of time?
Enter the Instant Pot! This recipe for Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham delivers all that rich, smoky goodness in a fraction of the time. Thanks to the pressure cooker, dried split peas cook to perfection in just 15 minutes, and the ham bone infuses the entire pot with incredible savory depth. You get a soup that tastes like it simmered all day, but it’s ready in about an hour; most of which is hands off time.
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you today. It’s become a staple in my home during the colder months, and it’s the perfect way to use up that leftover ham bone from your holiday dinner. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week, this soup is hearty, satisfying, and absolutely delicious.
Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Fast: Ready in about an hour, compared to 3+ hours on the stovetop.
- Deep, Smoky Flavor: The ham bone (or ham hock) infuses the soup with rich, savory goodness.
- Thick & Creamy: Split peas break down naturally to create a velvety, satisfying texture.
- Budget Friendly: Made with simple, affordable pantry staples and a leftover ham bone.
- Meal Prep Hero: Freezes beautifully and tastes even better the next day.
- Customizable: Easily make it vegetarian, vegan, or use a smoked turkey leg instead.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 ham bone, smoked ham hock, or 6 oz. diced deli ham
- 1 lb. dried split peas, sorted through and rinsed
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth (or veggie stock, water, or a mixture)
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste (see notes)
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6 quart or larger)
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
Instructions
1Sauté the Vegetables: Turn your pressure cooker to the Sauté setting. Melt the butter, then sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes, until softened.
2Add the Remaining Ingredients: Add the split peas, chicken stock, ham bone (or hock or diced ham), and bay leaves. Turn off the Sauté function.
3Pressure Cook: Cover the pressure cooker and make sure the valve is set to Sealing. Set to Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
4Natural Release: Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10–15 minutes. Then, carefully quick release the remaining pressure by turning the valve to Venting.
5Remove the Ham Bone: If you used a ham bone or hock, remove it from the soup. Pick off any ham meat that’s still attached and add it back into the soup.
6Season and Serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Expert Tips for Success
- Watch the Salt: If you use salty chicken broth and a ham bone, you may not need to add any salt at all. Ham is usually very salty, so taste before seasoning!
- Split Pea Age Matters: The peas may take longer to cook depending on their age. Older dried legumes take longer to soften. This can vary based on brand and how long they’ve been sitting on the shelf.
- Frozen Ham Bone? No need to adjust the cooking time! Ham bones are already cooked, so you’re just reheating it. Keep in mind that colder ingredients take longer to come to pressure.
- Don’t Use Fresh Ham: Ham usually comes cured or smoked, which means it’s cooked and ready to eat. Do NOT use fresh (uncooked) ham for this recipe.
- Thinning Leftovers: This soup will thicken once it cools and is refrigerated, especially if you used a ham bone (because of the gelatin). Thin it out with water and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Omit the ham, use more salt and pepper, and use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock.
- Vegan: Use olive oil instead of butter and follow the vegetarian instructions above.
- No Pork: Substitute the ham bone with a smoked turkey leg.
- Slow Cooker: Sauté the veggies in a skillet with butter, then transfer them and add all other ingredients to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until split peas are tender.
- Stovetop: Sauté veggies as instructed in a large pot. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, until split peas are cooked to desired tenderness.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover split pea soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The soup will thicken as it cools; just add a splash of water or broth when reheating to thin it out.
Freezing: This soup freezes beautifully. Transfer to freezer safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I make this without a ham bone?
Yes! You can use 6 oz. of diced deli ham instead. The flavor will be slightly less smoky, but still delicious. For a vegetarian version, omit the ham entirely.
Can I use a frozen ham bone?
Absolutely! You don’t need to adjust the cooking time since ham bones are already cooked. Just note that colder ingredients take longer to come to pressure.
My soup is too thick. What should I do?
This soup thickens as it cools, especially if made with a ham bone. Simply thin it out with water or broth and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! You can double the batch in an 8 quart pressure cooker. For a 3 quart mini, you may need to cut the ingredients in half.
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 ham bone smoked ham hock, or 6 oz. diced deli ham
- 1 lb. dried split peas sorted through and rinsed
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Turn pressure cooker to Sauté setting. Melt butter and sauté onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add split peas, chicken stock, ham bone (or hock or diced ham), and bay leaves. Turn off Sauté function.
- Cover pressure cooker, set valve to Sealing, and set to Manual/High Pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow pressure to naturally release for 10-15 minutes. Then quick release remaining pressure.
- If using ham bone or hock, remove it and pick off any attached ham meat. Add meat back to soup.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.
Notes
- Watch the salt: salty broth and ham may mean no additional salt is needed.
- Split pea age affects cook time; older peas take longer.
- Frozen ham bone works fine; no need to adjust cook time.
- Vegetarian: Omit ham, use vegetable stock or water.
- Vegan: Use olive oil instead of butter.
- No pork: Substitute smoked turkey leg for ham bone.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 1 week; freeze up to 6 months.
