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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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This is absolutely perfect the way it is but since I love carrots, I doubled them.
Hi Amanda! Carrots are always a good thing! So glad you liked the soup! Thank you for your review!
This was, hands-down, the BEST split pea I have eaten! We served it up with frybread and my kids and husband devoured it. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
I checked the pantry and I only have yellow split peas. Will they work in this recipe? Would the flavour be different? Thanks.
Hi Sheila, the yellow split peas have a different taste than the green, a little nutty-sweet. you could try them and see what you think. I personally prefer the green.
I always use yellow split peas, they are sometimes hard to find. My soup seems to come out different each time I make it, I put whatever I have at the time in it. Sometimes ham broth or ham steak, I even used a polska when I didn’t want to go to the store for just ham! I add carrots, a med sweet onion and yukon potatoes to mine. I use the emulsifier to blend it. I also soak my peas overnight. I’ve been making this soup for 40 years! 1st stove top, then crock pot, now Instant Pot!
The great thing about this recipe is that you don’t have to soak the split peas, at least not the green ones. I haven’t tried the yellow yet!. Thanks for your comment, Nancy!
I just made this tonight with the ham bone from Easter. I sauted and simmered on the stovetop before transferring the ingredients. I used organic chicken broth and yum!!! I brought the bone to the table so that we could pick the tender meat off it and added it to our soup. Absolutely amazing!!!
Hi Rebecca! Such a great way to use that leftover ham bone! How fun that you all enjoyed it together at the table (it seems many people don’t eat at the table these days). Thank you for your review!
Sandy,
Is this recipe for split pea soup an original recipe of yours? If so, it’s being shared without credit to you. I wanted to send this as an email to you, but I see no email for you on your website.
Yes, this is my original recipe. You can reach me at sandy@simplyhappyfoodie.com
This recipe was excellent!! Perfectly done and the thickness was optimal! I am doing it this way from now on. I would use my slow cooker and it was always watery. This is the best Split Pea Soup I’ve ever made!! Thanks so much!!
Hi Erin! Definitely don’t like a watery split pea soup! I’m so glad you liked my version! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome, Cheryl! I’m so happy you liked it! Thank you for your nice review!
CAN I MAKE THE PEA SOUP RECEIPE IN A 3 QUART DUO
THANK YOU
Cut the recipe by 1/3.
Made this last night and it was excellent!!
Great, Carla! Thank you for your review!
This soup turned out fantastic! I made it with both ham and the ham bone, and used vegetable broth. My husband declared it a winner so this soup is now in our rotation!
Great! I’m making a batch in my 8 qt using the Easter ham bone & leftover meat. I’m so glad you and your hubby enjoyed this soup recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!