Our family LOVES Split Pea soup. Back in the old days I made it on stove…then graduated to the pressure cooker and now, I’ve graduated to the Instant Pot. It’s gotten easier and easier with each new pot I make it in.
On this morning I was up and had it all in the pot shortly before 7am and the childcare kiddos showing up. This means I’d have an easy supper night.
In the pot I put one bag of split peas. I put the ham bone in. One chopped medium onion. Two carrots peeled and chopped. 2 Tablespoons of ham soup seasoning. This particular bag of split peas had the seasoning in the bag, typically I use it other…then spices. For me that usually means a 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. I don’t add salt as the ham is typically salty enough.
The I added water to the 11 cup mark. 
I put on the lid, closed the valve and set the timer for beans which in my case is 30 minutes. Split peas likely don’t need that long but to easily get the ham off the bone, the time works well.
After the timer went off I pulled the ham bone out and let it cool a bit. Then I deboned the meat.
While that was happening I noticed that the soup was a little thin. For a normal person, I think it was good but Hubby likes THICK soup (really stew) so I turned the Instant Pot to saute. The soup thickened up. If you do this, make sure to stir it regularly. The soup easily sticks to the bottom of the pan. I added the ham back in, stirred it good and the soup was done.
Here’s how it looks… YUM!!!
I used to be about 50/50 as far as burning this or not before I got the Instant Pot. Back then I would get busy and forget about the soup. Not anymore. The Instant Pot makes it perfect every time.
This and a grill cheese sandwich was supper. How easy of a supper was that!! As we were eating we were talking….Hubby said he regularly had split pea soup growing up. I never did. I didn’t even know what it was until I saw it my Betty Crocker cook book. I tried it once and loved it. All of our kids like it too. Anytime we have a ham the kids are quick to ask if it will split pea soup or ham and bean soup that I make with the soup bone.
Curious minds want to know…what’s your favorite thing to make with a soup bone?
Ham and navy bean soup!! In the cooler seasons, I make it often in the crock pot… It is one of our favorite meals….
Along with the ham bone, I also add some sliced ham, chopped carrots, chopped onions and chopped celery. The sliced ham falls apart and makes the soup even thicker. A bowl of this with some Italian bread and a glass of red wine is a great, filling meal. And I freeze leftovers for a couple more meals at a later date.
I am getting hungry just thinking about this! But it is over 90 degrees here in Virginia, so not when I want to think about soup! In this weather we prefer pasta salad, or a dinner salad!
I love to make split pea soup with my ham bone! I try to remember to buy the peas when I purchase the ham. I have also been on the same journey as you. 25 years ago, cooking it on the stove, forget to stir and it would scorch and burn. One minute dinner, and the next garbage. A few years ago I got the power pressure cooker, but just upgraded to the Instant Pot. Make mine the same way, delicious!
I like to make navy bean soup or calico bean soup (a mixture of beans and sometimes a few dried peas). Sometimes I cook the bone for stock to make homemade baked beans.
Yum! We always had this when I was growing up. My mother would add 1 small chopped potato to the pot, this thickened the soup and disappeared. I do the same. Too hot here for soup. Have a great weekend.
Potato klub!
Black Bean Soup with a ham bone – it’s awesome!
Split Pea Soup and yours looks AMAZING!!!
I started to buy a whole ham at both Christmas and Easter. That is our traditional meat for both holidays. I always make navy bean soup with the bone. I then cut leftover ham into chunks and freeze in portions. When I want to make split pea soup, I take a package of ham out of the freezer. I add it to the split peas, carrots, onions, and celery and cover with water. I add seasonings and have split pea soup with ham whenever we are in the mood for it not just after we have had a ham dinner.
Red beans and rice with the ham bone. Yum!
Our family had navy bean and ham soup. I’ve never had split pea soup. I should try it sometime. My mom would make drop dumplings for the soup. I regret that I never learned how to make them. Thanks for sharing.
We love split pea soup and I learned to make it from my mother in law, who was a wonderful cook. I now save my ham bones and use them with bean soups and sometimes I add rice to make them thicker. I like how yours tuned out and I will give it a try with my instant pot.
Hi Jo!
Try this with black eyed peas some time. its yummy!
We had a lot of green peas growing up as my mother loves them. I hated them. For my family when we had leftover ham I purchase a bag of dry 15 variety beans, pick out the lima beans, which is something else I can’t stand, and put it in the crock pot with the hambone and vegetables.
I didn’t have split pea soup growing up that I can remember but when I left home I learned how to make it and loved it so do make it once in awhile. Mostly when I have a ham bone I make 13 bean soup.
Love ham and beans. I always use broth instead of water. We usually have corn bread with ham and beans.
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Split Pea & Ham was Dad’s favorite. He never cooked anything but in his retirement he’d make it. Mom whispered to me “he gets every dish in the house dirty but it keeps him busy.”
I ordered it once when I was with my daughter in law & she thought it looked awful. She wouldn’t even try it, she’s that picky.
Our son made a ham & a Turkey for Thanksgiving and he warned everyone to save the carcass and the ham bone because he was planning on soups another day.
I grew up on ham and split pea, navy bean and lime bean soup. I fix them today too. Have tried the mixed beans and other combos I like them all tonight it,s navy beans and ham cooking.. Our ham got split up just about like yours everyone who wanted to take some home got it I outvoted everybody for the bone. It’s chilly and soup always warms me up.