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Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is a good recipe to use for leftover ham! Quick cooking and easy to make, this flavorful pressure cooker split pea soup is one of my most popular recipes. It’s really delicious!
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Turning on the Way-Back Machine, I can recall eating Split Pea Soup when I was still in a high chair! It has always been a favorite soup recipe of mine. This recipe is inspired by my Mom.
Use Leftover Ham
If you cooked a bone-in ham you can use the meaty ham bone to flavor this soup.
If you don’t have a bone, just use the ham meat, cubed. It will still add the flavor you want.
You can also use ham hocks. Best if not frozen.
A Faster Split Pea Soup
When I make Split Pea Soup on the stove, it takes 2 to 3 hours, though it tastes awesome!
I wanted to have a quicker cooking split pea soup, so I adapted my recipe for the Instant Pot®.
Pressure cookers are great for just this kind of recipe, as the flavors are extracted from the ingredients and make the broth taste delicious!
Pressure cookers speed up the process and cook the soup in way less time than on the stove.
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup only takes about an hour, with the sautéing and natural release, so that’s a big time saver! The peas come out nice and soft, and the flavor is very good!
If you want a Vegetarian or Vegan pressure cooker split pea soup, omit the butter (for vegan), use vegetable broth, and try some liquid smoke to give the soup a nice smoky hint of flavor.
Instant Pot Potato Soup
Instant Pot Potato Ham Soup
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Sausage Potato Soup)
Instant Pot Beef Barley Vegetable Soup
Instant Pot Ham Hock and Bean Soup
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If you make this yummy pressure cooker split pea soup recipe, let me know! Please leave a comment with a star rating below. I’d love to know how you liked it!
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Onion, diced
- 3 Stalks of Celery, diced
- 2 Bay Leaves
- ¼ tsp Thyme Leaves, dried
- 3 Carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, pressed or finely minced
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 6 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth low sodium (use only 5 cups for a thick soup, 7 cups for a thinner soup)
- 1 lb Green Split Peas, rinsed and sorted (unsoaked)
- 1 tsp Liquid Smoke (Optional) for vegetarian version
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt (add last, after cooking, if needed) (1/4 tsp table salt)
Use any of these for your meat (or a combination of them)
- 6 slices Bacon (Optional) chopped
- 2 small Ham Hocks (Optional) Not very meaty, but add a nice smoky flavor and richness.
- 1 Leftover Ham Bone (Optional) I like to use this with the diced ham
- 2 - 3 cups Diced Leftover Ham (Optional)
Instructions
- Turn the pressure cooker on to the Sauté function. Let it warm up and add the olive oil and butter.
- Add the onion, celery, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to turn translucent.
- Add the carrots, garlic, bacon or ham, if using, and pepper. Cook for a minute.
- Add the broth and ham bone or ham hocks, if using (Add liquid smoke, if using, for vegetarian method). Let come to a simmer.
- Stir in the split peas.
- Place the lid on the pot and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Cancel the sauté function and Choose Pressure Cook/Manual, and use the + or - or dial to choose 18 minutes. High pressure. It will take a few minutes for the pot to come to pressure.
- When the cooking time has finished, let the pot sit undisturbed for 15 minutes to naturally release some of the pressure. Then turn the steam release knob to Venting to quick release the remaining pressure.
- When the pin in the lid drops down, carefully open the lid, facing away from you. Remove the bay leaves and the bone or ham hocks, if you used them.
- Taste and add the salt as desired.
- Serve hot. The soup will thicken quite a bit when it cools, that is normal.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RESOURCES TO MAKE Instant Pot Split Pea Soup recipe and more
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I made this last night and it was so easy and very good. Made it with bacon and will cook that first the next time for texture and maybe include a few drippings for the flavor. I love all your stuff and have your book.
What do you suggest if you don’t eat pork?
Leave it out and maybe add some liquid smoke if you want that smokey flavor. Or add some smoked turkey or chicken after pressure cooking. Yum!
Made vegan version and added a cubed yam. Best split pea ever. So very yummy. Will leave carrots while and sweet potato in larger chunks next time as both were softer than I prefer. 5 big stars!
Wow! I just made this, and it turned out excellent! I made mine with the 2 cups chopped ham. I went ahead and added 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke too. I had read some comments about the carrots being too overcooked for some people’s taste, so I add large chunks of carrot- like 1″ x 3″ (as you recommended), and I added one whole potato, peeled- I quartered it and threw it in. Afterwards, I cut both carrots and potatoes into bite size. They’re perfect. I didn’t add or subtract any time. I did only have 12 ounces of dried split peas (i thought I had bought a pound), and I added 6 cups chicken broth- as recipe states. Thank you so much for an amazing recipe.
I make mine with a package of kielbasa (don’t always have ham on hand). It’s so so good. First time making it in the instant pot, and it was so easy!
Some of the best soup I’ve had. Easy to make. Perfect texture and taste.
I made this split pea soup after Christmas. OMG AMAZING!!!!!! My husband said it was the BEST he had ever eaten. We WILL be making it again and again.
Thank you for these recipes.
Hey I have about a half a lb of green split peas in my pantry can i still make this full recipe with only half the amount of green split peas? Trying to avoid going to the store if possible
Yes, just reduce the other ingredients by half. Keep the cook time the same.
This recipe made a perfect split pea soup! In the past when I have made split pea soup from other recipes I always have to use an immersion blender to get the right texture not with this recipe it’s ready to go as soon as you open the pot and stir. Thank you Sandy this is the first recipe of yours that I’ve tried but I will definitely try more now!!
SO good! Here in Texas split pea soup isn’t that popular, so this was actually the first time I’d ever made it. I even had to go to three different grocery stores before I even found split peas! I should have been making this years ago though, because it’s divine. I added a pound of diced potatoes for extra body, and I used a few sprigs of fresh thyme. I’m amazed how velvety and luscious such a healthy soup is. Thank you!
EXCELLENT SOUP. THANK YOU.