Easy Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is a warm, hearty, and flavorful pressure cooker soup made with dried split peas, broth, vegetables, and leftover ham. It is a practical recipe for using a ham bone, smoked ham hocks, cubed ham, or even a smoked turkey leg. If you prefer a meatless version, simply leave out the meat and use vegetable broth for a vegetarian or vegan-friendly split pea soup.
This Instant Pot split pea soup is ideal when you have holiday ham leftovers from Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special dinner. Instead of throwing away the ham bone, use it to build deep, savory flavor in a pot of comforting soup. The pressure cooker makes the process much faster than the traditional stovetop method, while still creating a creamy, satisfying texture.
Split pea soup can be a nourishing meal because split peas are naturally rich in fiber and protein. The final nutrition will depend on the meat and broth you choose. Ham hocks and ham bones add smoky flavor, while turkey can be used as a lighter alternative. For a plant-based soup, vegetable broth and extra vegetables work well.
Traditional split pea soup can take several hours on the stove. With an electric pressure cooker, the soup cooks quickly and becomes tender and creamy without soaking the peas. This recipe also works in a slow cooker if you prefer a hands-off method.
Table of Contents
What are Split Peas?
Split peas are legumes. They are similar to lentils in the way they are used in soups and stews, but they are not the same ingredient. Split peas come in green and yellow varieties. They are dried, hulled, and split in half, which helps them cook faster than many whole dried beans.
Green split peas have a slightly sweeter flavor and are less starchy than yellow split peas. They soften beautifully during cooking and help create the creamy texture that makes split pea soup so comforting. One pound of dried split peas is about 2 cups.
Do You Need to Soak the Peas Before Cooking?
No, you do not need to soak split peas before cooking this soup. Rinse them well under cool water and look through the peas to remove anything that does not belong. The peas may feel a little sticky after rinsing, and that is normal.
Because the peas are already split, they cook quickly in the Instant Pot. Soaking is unnecessary and may make the soup softer than intended.
How to Make Split Pea Soup in an Instant Pot
- Set the Instant Pot to saute and cook the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots in olive oil until fragrant.
- Add the broth, split peas, ham hocks or other meat, thyme, bay leaf, and seasoning.
- Stir everything together and secure the lid.
- Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and bones, return any meat to the soup, stir until creamy, and serve warm.
Cook Time/How Long to Cook
The soup cooks for 15 minutes on high pressure. After the cook time ends, allow the steam to release naturally for 15 minutes. This gives the split peas time to finish softening and helps the soup thicken naturally.
The total time listed for the recipe is 45 minutes, including preparation, pressure cooking, and natural release. Keep in mind that the Instant Pot may take additional time to come to pressure depending on the temperature of the broth and the amount of food in the pot.
How Much Water is Needed
If you use broth, you do not need to add water. The recipe calls for 6 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth. Broth adds more flavor than plain water and helps season the soup as it cooks.
If you choose to use a bouillon base instead of broth, use 5 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of the base. Ham or chicken-flavored base can be used. The recipe also includes an optional teaspoon of ham base for extra flavor when broth is used.
Freezer Tips
Split pea soup freezes well. Store cooled soup in airtight freezer-safe containers or freezer bags for 2 to 3 months. Leave a little room at the top of the container because soup expands as it freezes.
For best results, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave. The soup may thicken as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water while reheating if you prefer a thinner consistency.
What to Pair With the Soup
- Garlic bread
- Homemade cornbread
- Jalapeno cheddar cornbread
- Low-carb cornbread
- Croutons
- Sliced ham
- Sausage
Recipe Tips
- Ham hocks, a ham bone, or cubed ham all work well in this Instant Pot split pea soup. Bacon or sausage can also be used. If using bacon, saute it first in the Instant Pot before adding the vegetables.
- A smoked turkey leg or smoked turkey wing can be used instead of ham. This is a good option if you want smoky flavor without using pork.
- If you want to add potatoes, cook them separately. Cubed potatoes only need about 5 minutes in the Instant Pot, so cooking them with the split peas may make them too soft.
- For a vegetarian or vegan split pea soup, omit the meat and use vegetable broth.
- For a slow cooker version, cook the soup on Low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the peas are tender.
- The soup thickens as it cools. Add broth or water when reheating if needed.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Easy Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
- Freezer-safe containers or bags for storage
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chopped fresh carrots
- 1 cup chopped fresh celery
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 pound dried green split peas, rinsed but not soaked
- 1.5 pounds ham hocks or use 2 cups cubed ham, a ham bone, a smoked turkey leg, or a smoked turkey wing
- 1 teaspoon ham base optional, for extra flavor
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Set the Instant Pot to saute. When hot, add the olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions smell fragrant. If using cubed ham, add it during this step.
-
Add the broth, split peas, ham hocks, thyme, bay leaf, optional ham base, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Use a light hand with the salt at first, then adjust after cooking.
-
Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on Manual or High Pressure for 15 minutes.
-
When the cooking cycle ends, allow the steam to release naturally for 15 minutes.
-
Open the pot carefully. Remove the bay leaf and any ham hock bones. Pull any meat from the bones and return the meat to the soup.
-
Stir the soup until creamy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm in bowls.
Notes
- Ham hocks, a ham bone, cubed ham, bacon, sausage, smoked turkey leg, or smoked turkey wing can be used in this recipe.
- If using bacon, saute it first in the Instant Pot before adding the vegetables.
- Potatoes should be cooked separately because they cook faster than split peas in the Instant Pot.
- To replace broth with bouillon, use 5 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of bouillon base.
- For a vegan or vegetarian soup, omit the meat and use vegetable broth.
- To make this in a slow cooker, cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary based on the exact ingredients used. For the most accurate results, calculate nutrition using the specific products and amounts used in your kitchen.