Split Pea, Ham & Sausage Soup

Pea soup doesn’t have to be the clumpy, thick green soup that is the stuff of kids nightmares. Instead, you can modernize that old fashioned soup with this refreshingly different Split Pea, Ham & Sausage Soup. Hungry? Let’s get cooking!

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When I was a kid, my Oma used to make Split Pea Soup the old European way which started with making a flavorful broth from simmering a ham bone for hours and hours. The whole process took all day – from the simmering to the cooking – but it was a labor of love and we all loved the soup.

These days, when I want a split pea soup, I generally either a) don’t have a ham bone on hand or b) don’t have all day to make the soup.

So, this Split Pea, Ham & Sausage Soup has become my go-to when craving the same flavors, minus all the time to cook it.

Ingredients

• Chicken broth – Homemade is best! Use low-sodium or no-salt-added store-bought broth if you don’t have homemade so you can control the salt level.
• Ham – Leftover ham works great. Use a bone-in ham hock for the richest flavor, or diced ham steak for convenience.
• Smoked sausage – Kielbasa or andouille sausage both work. Slice it into rounds or half-moons.
• Bacon – Cook until crisp so it adds texture, not chewiness. Reserve some of the bacon fat for sautéing the vegetables.
• Carrot – Dice it small so it cooks evenly with the celery and onion.
• Celery – Dice it small so it cooks at the same rate as the other vegetables.
• Onion – Yellow or white onion works. Red onion is too sweet for this soup.
• Green split peas – Rinse them well before cooking. Don’t soak them—split peas don’t need soaking like dried beans.
• Yellow split peas – Rinse them well. Yellow split peas are milder and sweeter than green. You can use all green if you can’t find yellow.
• Kale – I use fresh kale, stems removed and chopped. Don’t use frozen kale—it’ll make the soup watery.
• Butter – I cook with salted butter. Unsalted butter works if you add a pinch of extra salt.
• Bay leaves – Dried bay leaves work best. Remove them before serving—they’re not edible.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic only. Jarred garlic has a harsh, metallic taste.
• Salt and pepper – Taste before adding all of it—the broth, ham, sausage, and bacon already add salt.

How to Make Split Pea, Ham & Sausage Soup

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

This isn’t quite a dump-and-go soup recipe, because in order to coax all the best flavors out of the ingredients, you need to give the meats and then the veggies a quick sauté.

Chop up the sausage and ham and sauté them in butter. Remove the sausage and ham, then add the bacon, onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until the onion is translucent.

Add the chicken broth to the veggies (you don’t add the meat till the end), add the kale, and the green and yellow split peas.

Simmer for about 45 minutes. Then, add the sausage and ham and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• I like to use a combination of green and yellow split peas, but use what you can find.
• A good quality smoked sausage is essential! Don’t try to use Italian sausage or the flavors won’t be the same.
• If you really want to go Gourmet Geek, use double-smoked bacon.
• Homemade chicken broth lends a lovely flavor, but boxed broth will work as well
• Cut the ham and sausage small enough to get some in every bite, but not so small that they disintegrate in the soup. About 1/2-inch dice works fine.

Make It A Meal

My son gobbles this soup by the bowlful and never needs anything else with it. In fact, it is a hearty enough soup complete with veggies, carbs, and proteins, making it a full meal in a bowl.

However, it also pairs nicely with a salad or sandwich at lunch, or just a crusty piece of bread for a tasty dinner.

Is Split Pea Soup Recipe Freezer Friendly?

Yes! It’ll freeze just fine! To freeze it, portion it in freezer-friendly plastic zipper-top bags or in containers.

To reheat it, remove it from the container or bag and heat it slowly on the stovetop over a low heat, or microwave it from thawed or frozen.