Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham
A leftover ham bone, a bag of green split peas, and 20 minutes of pressure turn into the thick, smoky soup that used to take three hours on the stove.
- Cook temp
- 240°F
- 116°C · preheat
- Total time
- 55 min
- 10 prep · 35 cook · 10 rest
- Rest
- 10 min
- Before slicing
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup - Perfect Recipe to Use Your Ham Bone! · A Mind Full Mom
A Mind Full Mom shows sautéing aromatics, adding dried split peas and a ham bone to the Instant Pot, and pressure cooking for fifteen minutes.
- Target //Cook at High Pressure with Sauté sweat for 35 mins.
- Doneness //Cook until visual doneness cue is met. Rest 10 mins before slicing.
- Golden Rule //Split peas foam aggressively under pressure. Never fill an Instant Pot past the max line with legumes — leave a full inch of headspace or the foam will clog the pressure valve mid-cook.
- Family Tweak //Serve in a mug with a handful of oyster crackers stirred right in. Kids find the green color easier to swallow when there is something crunchy on top of every spoonful.
Ingredients
- 1 lbGreen Split Peas, dry, rinsed and sorted
- 1 1/2 lbsBone-In Ham Hock, or leftover ham bone with meat
- 8 cupsLow-Sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 tbspUnsalted Butter
- 1 mediumYellow Onion, diced
- 2 mediumCarrots, sliced
- 2 ribsCelery Ribs, sliced
- 4 clovesFresh Garlic, minced
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 tspDried Thyme
- 1 tspBlack Pepper
- to taste Kosher Salt
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Get to the point
- 1
Sauté 2 tbsp butter, diced onion, carrots, celery 5 min. Add 4 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf.
- 2
Rinse 1 lb split peas; add with 1.5 lb ham hock and 8 cups broth.
- 3
Cook 20 min High Pressure with 15 min natural release. Pull ham, shred, discard bone.
- 4
Stir shredded ham back in; blend half the soup with an immersion blender for creaminess.
Step by step
Tap a step to cross it offSweat the Mirepoix in Butter
5 minSet Instant Pot to Sauté Normal. Melt 2 tbsp butter and add 1 diced onion, 2 sliced carrots, and 2 sliced celery ribs. Cook 5 minutes until softened. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp black pepper; stir 30 seconds. Cancel Sauté.
WhyButter over olive oil here — the milk solids brown against the vegetables and give the soup its base note of caramelized sweetness.
Rinse and Sort the Split Peas
Pour 1 lb dry green split peas into a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water for 30 seconds while running your fingers through to catch any small stones or shriveled peas. Drain fully.
WhyOne pebble in the bag will crack a molar. The sort is 20 seconds — it is worth 20 seconds every single time.
Layer Ham Hock and Broth
Add the rinsed peas, a 1.5 lb bone-in ham hock, 1 bay leaf, and 1 tsp dried thyme to the pot. Pour in 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Do not add salt yet — the hock releases plenty.
WhyA ham hock is 8x cheaper per pound than diced ham and packs 3x the flavor because the bone and skin melt into the broth.
Pressure Cook 20 Minutes
35 minSeal the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook at High Pressure for 20 minutes. Allow a full 15-minute natural pressure release, then vent any remaining pressure.
WhyQuick-releasing split pea soup sprays a starch geyser out the top valve. Full natural release only.
Pull and Shred the Ham
Lift the hock onto a cutting board. Pull the meat off in shreds using 2 forks — discard the bone, cartilage, and skin. Chop the shredded ham roughly and set aside.
WhyThe connective tissue on a hock is delicious once it gelatinizes into the soup, but a chewy piece on a spoon is unpleasant. Trim it clean.
Partial Blend for Silky Texture
Return shredded ham to the pot. Use an immersion blender to blend just 1/3 of the soup, leaving plenty of pea and vegetable texture. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed.
WhyA total puree makes the soup taste like baby food. Blending only a third gives you creamy body with recognizable ingredients — that is the whole point.
- Dad pro tip
- Split peas foam aggressively under pressure. Never fill an Instant Pot past the max line with legumes — leave a full inch of headspace or the foam will clog the pressure valve mid-cook.
- Kid & toddler adjustment
- Serve in a mug with a handful of oyster crackers stirred right in. Kids find the green color easier to swallow when there is something crunchy on top of every spoonful.
- Serve with
- Grilled Swiss and rye sandwich · Warm cornbread with honey butter · Simple mixed green salad
- Reheating
- Warm in a saucepan over medium-low for 8 minutes, stirring often and thinning with 1/2 cup broth per quart — the soup thickens dramatically in the fridge as the peas keep absorbing liquid.
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 6 g
Nutrition source: USDA FoodData Central #172420 (split peas) and #167902 (ham hock). Cook-time basis: Tested on 1 lb dry green split peas (soaked 30 minutes) with a leftover 1.5 lb bone-in ham hock, mirepoix, and 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth in a 6-qt Instant Pot Duo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to soak the peas overnight?
No. Split peas are already split, so the seed coat is broken and they hydrate fully in 20 minutes under pressure. Soaking is for whole beans.
Can I use a smoked turkey leg instead of ham hock?
Yes, use 1 large smoked turkey leg (about 1.25 lbs). Same time, same method. Slightly leaner but the smoke carries through just as well.
How do you reheat leftover instant pot split pea soup with ham without ruining the texture?
Warm in a saucepan over medium-low for 8 minutes, stirring often and thinning with 1/2 cup broth per quart — the soup thickens dramatically in the fridge as the peas keep absorbing liquid.
How do I adapt this meal for picky kids or toddlers?
Serve in a mug with a handful of oyster crackers stirred right in. Kids find the green color easier to swallow when there is something crunchy on top of every spoonful.
What are the best side dishes to serve with this?
Recommended sides include Grilled Swiss and rye sandwich, Warm cornbread with honey butter, Simple mixed green salad.