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Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

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By Kristen Chidsey

5 from 8 votes

Mar 25, 2024

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Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is a cozy, comforting soup that comes together in record time! This classic recipe features tender green split peas, hearty ham, and sauteed veggies in a rich, smoky broth that costs mere pennies per serving.

Split pea soup is a must-make whenever you have a ham bone leftover from Baked Ham or Instant Pot Ham. But instead of spending hours simmering dried split peas, let's speed up the process by using the Instant Pot and have this classic leftover ham recipe on the table in record time!

Notes on Ingredients

• Split Peas: Use dried green split peas, not yellow split peas or cooked split peas for this soup recipe. You also want to place them in a fine mesh strainer and rinse them under running water to remove any dirt or debris.
• Ham Bone: This is the perfect recipe to use a leftover ham bone, as the bone will add rich, salty flavor to the soup and complement the flavor of the split peas as well. If you don't have a leftover ham bone, feel free to use a ham hock.
• Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil to saute the vegetables for the best flavor.
• Aromatics: Carrots, onions, celery, and garlic, are sauteed together to build incredible flavor to an otherwise simple soup.
• Stock + Water: I recommend using a combination of low-sodium chicken stock and water, as the ham bone will inherently add saltiness to the split pea soup. Use storebought, homemade chicken stock, or Instant Pot chicken stock.
• Seasonings: I recommend adding seasoned salt, for a nuanced flavor, dried bay leaves, for an herbal undertone, and dried thyme leaves (not ground thyme), for an earthy undertone.

How to Make Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Sauté Aromatics. Taking a few extra minutes to sauté minced carrots, onions, and celery in olive oil before pressure cooking will help to build rich layers to the soup.

2. Deglaze the Inner Pot. Anytime you sauté anything in the Instant Pot, you need to deglaze the inner pot to prevent a burn notice. For this recipe, that simply means to add a bit of the stock and scrape the bottom of the inner pot using a wooden spatula or spoon.

3. Layer Ingredients. After deglazing the inner pot, add the remaining broth, water, seasonings, and rinsed split peas to the inner pot. Nestle the ham bone (or ham hock) into the soup if using.

4. Pressure Cook. Instant Pot Split Pea Soup only needs 15 minutes of cooking time under pressure. However, keep in mind that it will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure and an additional 15 minutes or so for the pressure to release naturally. This is one recipe you don't want to do a quick release of pressure or you will have a mess on your hands!

5. Remove Ham from the Bone. Remove the ham bone from the inner pot and then cut or pick off any meat from the bone and stir it back into the soup.

6. Serve. I love pairing Split Pea Soup with Italian bread or Dutch Oven Bread to sop up all the rich delicious broth.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerate: Allow the split pea soup to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Allow the soup to cool completely. Once cooled, transfer the soup into a freezer-safe container, leaving 1-inch room for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: If needed, defrost the split pea soup in the refrigerator overnight. Heat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave in 60-second intervals until warmed through, adding more stock or water to thin the soup if needed. Alternatively, heat large portions in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through, adding stock or water to thin if needed.

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5 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

By: Kristen Chidsey

Servings: 6

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Pressure Build-Up + Release: 30 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

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This Instant Pto Split Pea Soup recipe features tender green split peas, hearty ham, and sauteed veggies in a rich, smoky broth that costs mere pennies per serving. Modifications are provided for making this soup vegetarian as well.

Video

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion, finely minced
• ▢ 3 ribs celery, finely minced
• ▢ 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• ▢ 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 1 pound dry green split peas sorted through and rinsed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 2 dried bay leaves
• ▢ 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, plus more to taste if needed
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 ham bone or smoked ham hock

US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

• Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to the inner pot of the pressure cooker and turn to the saute function. Let heat for 30 seconds. Once the oil has heated, add the 1 large yellow onion (finely minced), 3 ribs celery (finely minced), and 3 large carrots (diced) and saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring often until softened. Once the vegetables have softened, hit cancel on the Instant Pot to turn off the saute function.
  
• Add in ½ cup of the chicken stock, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot using a wooden spoon or spatula.
  
• Pour in the remaining broth (for a total of 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock), 2 cups water, 1 pound dry green split peas sorted through and rinsed, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Nestle 1 ham bone or smoked ham hock into the soup.
  
• Place the lid on the pressure cooker, being sure the venting knob is pointed towards sealed or the lid is locked, and using the pressure cook or manual button set the cooking time to 15 minutes on high pressure.
• Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally on its own. This will take 15-20 minutes.
  
• Remove the bay leaves and ham bone from the soup. Remove any meat from the ham bone and stir it back into the soup.
  
• Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve warm with crusty bread and garnished with parsley.
  

Equipment

• Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

Notes

No seasoned salt? Use ¾ teaspoon kosher salt in its place. 

Vegetarian Option: Omit the ham bone, use 6 cups of vegetable broth in place of the chicken stock and water, and increase the seasoned salt to 2 teaspoons.

Leftover Ham: Add up to 3 cups of diced ham to the soup after pressure cooking. It won't impart the same flavor as a ham bone, but it will still be delicious.

Storage: Allow the split pea soup to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Alternatively, transfer the cooled soup to a freezer-safe container, leaving 1-inch room for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 23gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 298mgPotassium: 1087mgFiber: 21gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 6227IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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