Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham

4.8
(189)

Creamy yellow split pea soup studded with bits of ham, carrots, celery, and thyme. There is nothing like this soup 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.

close up view of Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham garnished with fresh herbs in a bowl
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Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs 10 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
12
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings

  • 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 or to taste

  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme

  • 1 bay leaf (Optional)

  • 1 pinch ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 8 cups water, or as needed

Directions

  1. Place ham bone, yellow 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.

  2. Reduce heat and place a lid on the pot, slightly ajar to allow some evaporation. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until yellow split peas are tender and soup is thick, about 3 hours.

  3. Remove ham bone from soup; remove meat from ham bone, chop or shred, 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.

371 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

172 Calories
0g Fat
32g Carbs
12g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 172
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0g 0%
Sodium 995mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 12g 24%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 134mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.