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Smoky split pea soup with ham—or Swamp Soup, if Johnny B asks.
Johnny B hates peas. Every year around this time, I make split pea soup. Every year, he’s skeptical. Then he tastes it and raves.
“It doesn’t taste like peas at all.”
This year, I renamed it Swamp Soup and told him it was an old Louisiana family recipe.
It’s not. It’s the same split pea soup I’ve been making for years. Apparently, it just needed better marketing.
Why You’ll Love It
Simple ingredients, smoky ham, and one pot. The split peas cook down into a thick, hearty soup—no cream or blender needed.
Even the pea skeptic comes back for more.
Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hocks
Prep time: About 15 minutes · Cook time: About 2 hours · Total time: About 2 hours 15 minutes · Serves: About 8
A thick, hearty split pea soup with smoky ham and simple vegetables. Serve with crusty bread—and call it Swamp Soup if there’s a pea skeptic at your table.
Ingredients
1 lb dried green split peas, sorted and rinsed
2 meaty smoked ham hocks (about 1½–2 lb total)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1½ tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper, to taste
Crusty bread or buttery croutons, for serving
How to Make It
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the split peas, smoked ham hocks, chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Partially cover and simmer for about 1½–2 hours, until the peas break down and the ham is tender. Stir occasionally and add more stock as needed if the soup gets too thick. Continue cooking if the ham needs more time.
Transfer the ham hocks to a plate. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and chop or shred it. Discard the bones, skin, and excess fat.
Remove the bay leaves and return the meat to the pot. Stir and add more stock if needed for your preferred consistency.
Taste before adding salt—the smoked ham hocks may provide enough. Serve with crusty bread or buttery croutons.
Pro Tips & Notes
Give it a stir. As the peas soften, the soup thickens and can stick to the bottom of the pot. Stir occasionally, especially toward the end.
Make it ahead. It tastes even better the next day. Add a splash of chicken stock when reheating to loosen it up.
Check for bones. Remove the hocks, bay leaves, and any loose bones before returning the shredded ham to the pot.
Freeze some for later. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat until hot throughout. Add a splash of chicken stock if it’s too thick. Lunch is handled.
Made this soup?
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The Story Behind the Recipe
Meet Shawn of Spring Creek Acres
Our friend Shawn raises pasture-raised pork and chickens on his farm in Idaho.
Every year, Johnny B and I buy half a pig from him. The pork is unlike anything we’ve ever bought at the grocery store, and we manage to finish it before the next season. Half a pig sounds ambitious until you taste it.
Store-bought smoked ham hocks keep this recipe simple. But if you’d like to taste the difference pasture-raised pork makes, reach out to Shawn at Spring Creek Acres. There’s a reason we go back for half a pig every year.
What to Serve With It
Crusty bread or buttery croutons and a simple green salad make it dinner. For our Halloween patio menu, we’re adding my Bourbon & Broomsticks cocktail, Pumpkin Bundt Cake, and Spooky Sugar Cookies. The soup is doing the serious work.
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A Few Helpful Extras
A sturdy soup pot and a wooden spoon handle the cooking. The split peas thicken the soup on their own—one less appliance to wash.
One Last Thing
If you grew up in the ’70s like me, Linda Blair may have complicated your relationship with split pea soup. Give it another chance. This one’s worth making—and not just for Halloween.
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