Hearty, thick, and loaded with ham. No soaking required. Ready in about an hour.
This is Instant Pot split pea soup the way it should be. Thick, hearty, full of ham, and with real texture instead of a bowl of mush.
It works with leftover diced ham, a ham bone, or a ham hock. Use whatever you have. The split peas go in dry, no overnight soak needed, and the soup thickens as it rests.
A bag of split peas and a little leftover ham goes a long way. This is one of those meals that feeds dinner now and covers lunch tomorrow without feeling like a shortcut.
How Long to Cook Split Peas in the Instant Pot
For Instant Pot split pea soup, the timing depends on whether the peas are soaked. Unsoaked is the main path here.
- Unsoaked split peas: 15 minutes on High Pressure, then a 10 to 15 minute natural release.
- Soaked split peas (4 hours or overnight): 7 to 10 minutes on High Pressure with a quick release.
The soup looks thin at first. It thickens as it rests.
What Ham Should I Use
Use leftover diced ham, a ham bone, or a ham hock. This recipe works with what you have.
A ham bone or hock brings deeper, smokier flavor and does most of the seasoning work for you. Diced leftover ham is faster and gives you more meat in every bite. Both paths land in the same place: thick, hearty soup with real texture.
What This Gets You
A ham bone, a bag of split peas, and a few basics turn into a pot of soup that feeds dinner now and covers lunch later. This is the kind of meal that stretches what's already in the kitchen without feeling like a compromise.
One pot usually runs six generous servings, which means two dinners for a family of three or a week of packed lunches for one. The flavor gets deeper overnight, so leftovers actually beat day one.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- 1 lb dried green split peas, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic paste or minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 oz diced leftover ham, or 1 meaty ham bone or ham hock
FAQs
No. The main method in this recipe uses unsoaked split peas cooked for 15 minutes on High Pressure with a 10 to 15 minute natural release. Soaking is optional and only changes the cook time.
Unsoaked split peas need 15 minutes on High Pressure, followed by a 10 to 15 minute natural release. Soaked split peas need 7 to 10 minutes on High Pressure with a quick release.
Yes. Leftover diced ham works great and is one of the easiest ways to make this soup. Add it in with the peas and broth so the flavor cooks into the soup.
Yes. A ham bone or ham hock adds deeper, smokier flavor. Add it in with the peas and broth, remove it after cooking, pull off any meat, and stir that meat back into the soup.
Split pea soup continues to thicken as it rests. If it gets thicker than you want, stir in a splash of broth or water over low heat until it loosens back up.
Split pea soup usually freezes well, though this exact batch is still on my test list. Cool it fully, portion into airtight containers, and reheat gently with a splash of broth or water.
Yes. Leave out the ham and swap chicken broth for vegetable broth. You will lose the smoky depth the ham brings, so consider adding a little smoked paprika to compensate.
Made this Instant Pot Split Pea Soup?
Leave a star rating and tell me how it turned out in the comments.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. green split peas rinsed
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onions diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 2 Tbsp. garlic paste or minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 8 oz. diced leftover ham or 1 meaty ham bone or ham hock
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the oil and diced onions and cook 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the diced celery, carrots, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Sauté 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the rinsed split peas, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, chicken broth, salt, and ham. Stir well and make sure the peas are fully covered by broth.
- Lock the lid. Cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. If using a ham bone or hock, lift it out, pull the meat off, and stir the meat back into the soup.
- Stir and let sit 10 minutes before serving. The soup thickens as it rests.
jujubee
Turned out perfect! The right consistency! Delicious!
Kate West
Very tasty! We are not pea soup fans as a rule, but we had left over ham so we tried this recipe and were very pleasantly surprised. Nice flavor and texture. Good job!
Sara T
I was very pleased to see an IP pea soup recipe that calls for soaked peas. I much prefer the less gassy nature of them. Thank you!
Sue Roe
Delicious! Made this today and enjoyed 2 bowls! Thanks for sharing your recipes!!
Gary White
Glad you enjoyed it!
Matthew Disalvatore
My entail thoughts when I saw the completed product before I tasted it were, "This looks nothing like what mom used to make." I'm used to a much more thick consistency to my pea soup, but YOOOOOOOO!!!!! This was amazing! The kids ate all of it, and I cannot wait for lunch tomorrow, because I'm having seconds of this. The wife and the kids both liked adding it over rice, but I like it as is. Thanks!!!
Jackie Lowe
I can't wait to make this recipe. Does this soup freeze well? Thanks!!
Gary White
I've never tried freezing it.