Healthy Split Pea Soup with Ham
My sister and her husband host Easter every year and always have a giant ham. For the most part, we don’t eat any pig-related products for personal reasons.
Neither of them likes split pea soup and it’s really hard for me to watch the ham bone get wasted, so this year I caved and made the soup.
When I look up recipes I haven’t made in awhile I am almost always astonished at the amount of extra fat that people add to their recipes. There are several tablespoons of butter to saute vegetables, fatty ham bones cooked in with the vegetables, and no excess fat seems to be removed.
This recipe is very flavorful and much healthier than several that I looked at online. It does take a little bit longer to make but I think it’s worth it.*
Historically I’ve used a slow cooker, because I didn’t have an instant pot, but I’m sure you can make it much faster by using the pressure cook setting on the instant pot.
This recipe is made with the slow cooker (for the stock) and stovetop to make the soup.
Ingredients:
1 ham bone (with most of the meat and fat removed)
4 cups of ham, fat removed and cut into small pieces
1 16 ounce bag of green split peas
1 TBSP olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 - 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, diced
4 medium carrots, diced
1 tsp rosemary
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Place ham bone in large crock pot (slow cooker) and fill with water. Cook on high overnight or for approximately 8 - 12 hours. This will become your stock (approximately 10 cups).
Use a colander to drain stock into a large pot. This allows you to remove the bones and any excess fat pieces.
Let the stock sit while you’re preparing the vegetables. As it cools a little, you’ll be able to suction off some additional fat with a baster.
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a fry pan.
Add onion, lower heat to medium and saute for approximately 3 -5 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 2- 3 minutes.
While the onion and garlic are cooking, rinse split peas in a colander and remove any excess fat from your stock.
Combine all ingredients (except ham) into your large pot and bring to a boil (stock, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, split peas, rosemary, salt & pepper).
Reduce heat to medium and simmer on a low boil for approximately 35 minutes or to desired consistency.
Turn off the heat and add the ham. Mix well and add more salt or pepper if needed.
*Many people have no interest in making their own stock. You can easily substitute store bought chicken or vegetable stock and still have a very tasty soup.
If you have the energy to make homemade stock, it often provides an even richer and more flavorful base for your soups.
