Mom’s Peas Soup with Ham is a family favourite. The smell of certain foods seem to trigger the memories of when you lived at home…and mom did the cooking. The smell of pea soup simmering in the pot brings back those memories for me. Coming home from school to the smell of pea soup cooking for dinner was so comforting, especially on cold winter days.
I was excited when we would have ham….because I knew that wonderful pea soup was soon to follow. Pea soup is pretty generic. There aren’t a lot of different methods to making it. Perhaps the choice of yellow or green peas, and a few variations as to certain spices/seasonings. Some people prefer to simmer it on the stove for hours, while others love to make it in the slow cooker.
I am cooking with the method that my mom used, which is pretty basic. Simple ingredients that create a wonderful rich and creamy smooth hearty pea soup with a touch of ham. The smell of this soup simmering on the stove is a true trigger to those childhood days when mom’s cooking was always best.
It all starts with the nice leftover ham bone. I know people will use just a piece of ham cut up, but the flavour that comes from using the actual bone is far superior.
I make my soup on the stove, so go ahead and pick your favourite soup pot.
Dice up one large onion. Add enough olive oil to the bottom of the pot to sauté the onion. Proceed to sauté the onion for about 5 minutes. Add diced carrots and sauté additional 5 minutes.
Next add the water and ham bone. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam that is created. This will take a few minutes for the foam to settle down.
To the pot add the peas, bay leaves and salt.
Bring this to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Soup should simmer for about 3 hours. The peas will be mushy and break apart easily when done.
Remove the pot from the stove. Take out the ham bone and bay leaves. Scrap any meat from the bone, shred with a fork and put aside.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Return the meat to the pot, reserving some for garnish.
And there you have it. Delicious homemade pea soup….and a house that smells wonderful. Serve with your choice of bread or buns. I served mine with Savoury Cheddar Onion Muffins.
So the next time you cook a ham…don’t throw out the bone…make PEA SOUP!!
Do you know what goes well with this delicious soup…. Savoury Cheddar Onion Muffins!!
Do you have a favourite method of making soup? Stove top or slow cooker? Leave a comment.
Mom's PEA Soup with HAM
Ingredients
- 1 ham bone
- 2 1/2 cups yellow split peas (rinsed)
- 3 carrots (diced)
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp salt
- 9 cups water
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for sautéing)
Instructions
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Pick your favourite soup pot.
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Dice onion.
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Add enough olive oil to cover bottom of pot.
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Heat oil, and sauté onion for approximately 5 minutes.
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Add diced carrots and sauté additional 5 minutes.
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Add ham bone and water.
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Bring to a boil and skim off foam. Do this for about 5 minutes, or until foam no longer appears.
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Add peas, bay leaves and salt.
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Reduce to simmer, and simmer for approximately 3 hours.
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Soup will be done when peas are mushy and fall apart.
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Remove pot from stove.
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Remove ham bone and bay leaves from pot.
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Remove any meat from bone, shred with fork and put aside.
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Using immersion blender, puree soup till creamy and smooth.
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Return meat to the soup, reserving some for garnish.
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Serve with bread, buns or savoury muffins.
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Enjoy!!
Recipe Notes
This is a wonderful way to use that leftover ham bone. Creates a mouth watering hearty soup…..and a house that smells wonderful.
I love split pea soup in winter. Nothing like a good helping of ham to go with it. Love the color you got on this soup. Looks so inviting.
Yes it is the perfect way to use up that holiday ham bone.
Split pea soup, made with a big old ham bone, simmering on the stove. Hardly anything better then that on a cold WI evening. ; )
Something about that is so comforting right!!
This looks great. Split Pea is one of our faves, especially in the winter! Definitely a great way to use leftover ham.
Perfect for leftover ham.
Do you know something? I haven’t had pea and ham soup for years! I may have to whip one of these up soon. Yum!
Perfect way to use up a holiday ham bone.
Yum, what a delicious recipe idea. I love a good soup recipe on a cold, wintery day here in Michigan. Thank you!
It’s one of our favourites for sure.
I am always looking for new soup recipes. This one looks fantastic.
Thanks, hope you give it a try.
I have all the ingredients to make this and have not tried it yet because I have not found a good recipe. I like yours.
Well thanks so much. Hope you give it a try.
You are so right! There is nothing like the smell of soup simmering all day on the stove. Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome…and yes it does smell awesome.
I remember my momma making something very similar to this – I will have to show her this recipe and have her try this one too.
Hope you do, thanks for stopping by.
Love soup. This is a great way to use up leftover ham from Easter too! We always have so much leftover, so need to make this!
That’s great comfort food! It would be perfect for a cold day! Can’t wait to try it!
Hope you do and ENJOY!!
I just made a ham for our family this weekend. I will take the bone and try your recipe! It is always great to get a new recipe!
Ham bones are awesome….just what this soup needs. ENJOY!!
You are so right about the flavor from the bone. There is no replacing that.
Absolutely so true!!
Now, that’s real comfort food. It would be perfect for a cold, rainy day.
Oh yes for sure!!
We have a restaurant by our house whose signature dish is Pea Soup. People come from miles around to enjoy it. Thanks to your recipe I can save a few bucks now by trying to make it myself.
Oh and homemade is so good…hope you give it a try.
I always make my soup stove top. Although I have never made pea soup.
If you like pea soup give it a try.
I grew up with my grandma’s recipe, very similar to this and yes, the ham is a must! I will try this , thanks
Oh yes cannot do it without the ham.
I’ve never had pea soup before!!!! But this does look tasty!
Pea soup is so good…hope you give it a try.
I would make it an leave out the ham – but there is nothing like a homemade comfort food!
You can leave out the ham….but it just wouldn’t be the same. Enjoy it which ever way you choose.
Yummy! I haven’t made a pea and ham soup in ages.
Actually I can’t even remember the last time I whiped up a batch.
Your recipe looks quite similar to my moms so I know this is going to be awesome!
Yes homemade is awesome…and I’m sure your mom has a great recipe as well.
This looks insanely delicious Gloria. Love pea soup.
Thanks we love it too.
I don’t think I have ever had pea soup. So now I want to make this and try it. It sounds so yummy.
Perfect for the left over ham bone!!
Yes! Nothing says winter like a good split pea soup! Another version that is really nice is a split pea soup with ham hocks or trotters. They usually go on sale here in Quebec around this time, and are perfect for this.
Like you, I love doing this on the stove top. The only thing I’ll counsel is have a nice, thick bottomed pot. Nothing worse than a thick layer of burnt soup. This soup is the worst for that in a restaurant kitchen.
Yes there is something about cooking on the stove top…perhaps because that is the way “mom” did it!!
i loooooove split pea soup. i think it would be my favorite if not, it is my favorite soup. i love this one- done so wonderfully!
Thanks I love pea soup too….simple and so tasty.
I have not had pea soup in a long time. This looks so good!
Thanks….one of our favourites for sure.