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5 from 143 votes

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

Easy to make Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with 10 simple ingredients done in an hour. Wholesome rich thick split pea and ham soup pack with nutrients and flavors. A deliciously hearty soup for budget-friendly and healthy meal prep.
Servings 6 - 8
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Saute Onions, Herbs, Veggies: Press “Saute” button to “Sauté More” function to heat up your Instant Pot. Wait until it says HOT on the screen.
    Add 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or olive oil in Instant Pot, then quickly add in diced onions to prevent the butter from burning. Season it with a pinch of salt. Saute diced onions until softened (~2 mins).
    Add in minced garlic, a pinch of dried thyme, and 2 bay leaves, then saute for another minute. Add in chopped carrots and celery, then saute for another minute.
  • Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in ½ cup (125ml) unsalted chicken stock. Completely deglaze the bottom of the pot by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon.
  • Pressure Cook Split Pea Soup: Add in 1 lb (454g) green split peas and 1 (2lb) ham bone or smoked pork hock. Add in 5½ cups (1375ml) unsalted chicken stock. Make sure all split peas are submerged in the cooking liquid.
    With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 15 minutes, then Natural Release for 10 minutes.
  • Season, Thicken, Serve: Set aside the pork hock or ham bone. Give it a few quick stirs. The soup should thicken as it sits. 
    Amy + Jacky's Tip: Make sure you taste the soup, then season it with more salt as needed. For reference, we added 2 large pinches of kosher salt. 
    If you used smoked pork hock, cut the meat, then add them back in the soup or serve them in sandwiches.
    Serve it warm as a heartwarming meal or with your favorite main or side dishes. Enjoy~

Notes

1. Ham: We developed this recipe with a smoked pork hock, but you can also use leftover ham, ham steaks, or ham bone. If you're using honey baked ham, it'll add some sweetness to the soup.
  • Tender Pork Hock: If you want fork-tender pork hock, first cut the smoked pork hock in half or quarter it before pressure cooking.
  • Vegetarian Split Pea Soup: If you want to omit the meat, you don't need to change the pressure cooking time.
2. Green Split Peas: You don't need to pre-soak them before cooking.
  • Substitute with Yellow Split Peas: You can use yellow split peas and don't need to adjust the pressure cooking time. Keep in mind the flavor profile will be different.
3. Unsalted Chicken Stock & Unsalted Butter: We develop recipes with unsalted ingredients because we can better control the flavors of the dish. If you’re substituting with salted chicken stock or salted butter, always taste and adjust accordingly.
4. Can You Freeze Split Pea Soup with Ham? Yes, this split pea soup freezes well. This is a great budget-friendly, healthy, and tasty meal prep recipe.
Rate Amy + Jacky's Recipe: If you've tried our recipe, rate the recipe in the Comments section. Thank you!
Author: Amy + Jacky
Calories: 290kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 948mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 8690IU | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3.2mg