Creamy yellow split pea soup studded with bits of ham, carrots, celery, and thyme. There is nothing like this one on a cold day! I am a Canadian now living in the United States and cannot get Habitant soup anymore, so I came up with this version. I think it is as good as the real thing, if not better because it is homemade.
Prep Time::20 mins
Cook Time:: 3 hrs 10 mins
Total Time:: 3 hrs 30 mins
Servings::12
Ingredients
1 ham bone with some meat
2 ½ cups yellow split peas
5 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, diced
½ large Spanish onion, diced
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 bay leaf (Optional)
1 pinch ground black pepper, or to taste
8 cups water, or as needed
Directions
Place ham bone, split peas, celery, carrots, onion, salt, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper into a large pot; pour in water. Bring mixture to a boil and skim off any foam with a spoon.
Reduce the heat and place a lid on the pot, slightly ajar to allow some evaporation. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and soup is thick, about 3 hours.
Remove ham bone from soup; remove meat from ham bone, chop, and return to the pot.
Cook’s Note
You can substitute 2 smoked pork hocks or 1 small ham shank for the leftover ham bone.
You can adjust the thickness of the soup by adding a little water to thin it or removing broth with a spoon to thicken it up.
I sometimes use an immersion blender for a quick second to blend the soup, making sure to leave some chunky peas, carrots, celery, and ham.