James Martin Pea And Ham Soup Recipe

This easy pea and ham soup is full of flavor and super comforting. Everything goes into the slow cooker—no need to cook the veggies first. The ham adds a rich, smoky taste, and the soup turns thick and hearty as it cooks. Perfect with warm crusty bread on a cold day.

Ingredients Needed:

• 500g / 1lb dried split peas 
• 1.2-1.5kg / 2.4-3lb ham hock (aka ham bone), bacon hock, or MEATY leftover ham bone 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 2 celery sticks
• 8 cups (2 litres/qts) water

Garnishes/serving:

• Parsley
• Crusty bread for dunking!

How To Make Pea And Ham Soup Recipe?

1. Add everything to the slow cooker: place the split peas in the slow cooker and push the ham hock into the center. Scatter the rest of the ingredients around the ham, then pour in the water.
2. Cook until tender: cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. On the stove, simmer for 2.5 hours. For the pressure cooker, set to high for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.
3. Shred the ham: take out the ham bone, pull off the meat with forks, and discard the bone and fatty skin.
4. Blend the soup a little: remove the bay leaves. Use a stick blender to blend just 2 to 3 times to thicken the soup while keeping it a bit chunky.
5. Add ham back and serve: return the shredded ham to the soup, stir, and taste. Add more salt if needed. Serve hot with parsley and crusty bread.

Recipe Tips:

• Use a meaty ham hock: the more meat on the bone, the better the soup will taste. Avoid small or dry bones with no meat—they won’t give enough flavor.
• Chop veggies small and even: this helps them cook down nicely and makes the soup smoother and creamier without needing to fully blend it.
• Don’t skip the quick blend: just a couple of pulses with a stick blender makes the soup thicker and richer, without losing all the texture.
• Wait to add extra salt: the ham adds a lot of salt naturally, so taste the soup at the end before adding more.
• Let it cook low and slow: cooking on low for 8–10 hours gives the best flavor. The longer it simmers, the deeper and richer the taste gets.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Let the leftover pea and ham soup cool to room temperature first. Then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Let the soup cool completely before placing it in freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: pour the soup into a pot and warm over low heat, stirring often until hot all the way through.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 509 kcal
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 70mg
• Sodium: 296mg
• Potassium: 1114mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 54g
• Dietary Fiber: 22g
• Sugars: 8g
• Protein: 39g

Try More James Martin Recipes:

• James Martin Lancashire Hotpot Recipe
• James Martin Slow-cooked Brisket Recipe

James Martin Pea And Ham Soup Recipe

Course: SoupsCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

8

hours 

Calories

509

kcal

This easy pea and ham soup is full of flavor and super comforting. Everything goes into the slow cooker—no need to cook the veggies first. The ham adds a rich, smoky taste, and the soup turns thick and hearty as it cooks. Perfect with warm crusty bread on a cold day.

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb dried split peas 

• 1.2-1.5kg / 2.4-3lb ham hock (aka ham bone), bacon hock, or MEATY leftover ham bone 

• 1/4 tsp salt 

• 3/4 tsp black pepper

• 2 garlic cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 onion

• 1 carrot

• 2 celery sticks

• 8 cups (2 litres/qts) water

• Garnishes/serving:

• Parsley

• Crusty bread for dunking!

Directions

• Add everything to the slow cooker: place the split peas in the slow cooker and push the ham hock into the center. Scatter the rest of the ingredients around the ham, then pour in the water.
• Cook until tender: cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. On the stove, simmer for 2.5 hours. For the pressure cooker, set to high for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Shred the ham: take out the ham bone, pull off the meat with forks, and discard the bone and fatty skin.
• Blend the soup a little: remove the bay leaves. Use a stick blender to blend just 2 to 3 times to thicken the soup while keeping it a bit chunky.
• Add ham back and serve: return the shredded ham to the soup, stir, and taste. Add more salt if needed. Serve hot with parsley and crusty bread.

Notes

• Use a meaty ham hock: the more meat on the bone, the better the soup will taste. Avoid small or dry bones with no meat—they won’t give enough flavor.
• Chop veggies small and even: this helps them cook down nicely and makes the soup smoother and creamier without needing to fully blend it.
• Don’t skip the quick blend: just a couple of pulses with a stick blender makes the soup thicker and richer, without losing all the texture.
• Wait to add extra salt: the ham adds a lot of salt naturally, so taste the soup at the end before adding more.
• Let it cook low and slow: cooking on low for 8–10 hours gives the best flavor. The longer it simmers, the deeper and richer the taste gets.