Warm up with a bowl of hearty split pea soup, packed with savoury ham and caramelized roasted sweet potatoes. This comforting dish is perfect for chilly days!
Post-holiday food tends to be simpler. Easy food. Less complex. Things that take time but not much effort. And after the holidays, my fridge is packed with leftovers. This soup is perfect for using up leftovers. Full of vegetables and fibre-rich split peas, this soup will fill you up, keep you warm while you take a break from some of the richer fare typical during the holidays.
This recipe is inspired by my Lemony Split Pea Soup recipe. Seems I always take out the split peas around New Year's! Both soups are full of lots of veggies and filling split peas.
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Benefits of split peas
Split peas are a powerhouse source of plant-based protein and fibre. Each cup of cooked split peas provides over 16 grams of protein and 16 grams of fibre as well as a good amount of vitamins and minerals. They are definitely a healthy ingredient to keep on hand in your kitchen!
Unlike other beans, split peas do not need to be soaked first before cooking. They will cook directly in the soup with no extra steps.
Ingredients
This soup is made of simple ingredients, straightforward items you likely already have on hand in your kitchen.
Split Peas
For this recipe, you will need dried green or yellow split peas. Either will work. Split peas are easy to find in your local grocery store, are inexpense and provide the thick, hearty base for this soup. Be sure to rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or debris before cooking.
Ham
We had a significant amount of leftover ham from our Christmas Eve dinner. I love using leftovers in recipes like this. Makes me feel economical. I'm also a little neurotic about using up everything in the fridge, so this makes me very happy. Of course you can use any kind of ham and you can even buy a "ham steak" or a thick slice of cooked ham for this soup if needed. I've only used a small amount of ham in this soup - about ½ pound, or a cup diced. It gives the soup a wonderful smokey flavour.
A few options
- A hambone with some meat left on it will also work. Just throw it into the soup and let it cook with the peas. When the soup is done, pull out the bone and chop up any ham remaining and add the ham back into the soup.
- For a vegetarian or vegan version - leave the ham out. The roasted sweet potatoes do all the work the ham does - adding texture and smoky flavour.
Onions, Garlic, Carrots
All add flavour and a little sweetness to the soup. I kept these ingredients simple, so I didn't have to run out to the store.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Roasting the sweet potatoes before adding them to the soup intensifies their sweetness and adds a little extra texture to the final dish. The only place you will find extra spices in this recipe is on the sweet potatoes - a little garlic powder, onion powder and paprika - which add to the smokiness of the ham. I've also tossed them with a little soy sauce to add a savoury, umami flavour to the potatoes. If you want to make this soup vegan, double the roasted sweet potatoes.
Time Saving option
- To save time and effort, you can toss the chopped sweet potatoes directly into the soup with the carrots and other ingredients. They will cook and melt into the soup - so little texture added, but still lovely sweetness and a delicious soup.
Instructions
Make the soup
In a large Dutch oven, saute the onions in olive oil until softened. Add carrots, garlic, diced ham and washed split peas. Add 8 cups of liquid and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 2 hours or until the peas are completely soft and mostly falling apart.
➜Keep an eye on the simmering pot and add more liquid if the soup seems a little dry. The soup will continue to thicken as it cooks.
Roast the sweet potatoes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
While the soup is simmering, peel and dice one large sweet potato, or two smaller ones. You want about 1-½ cups of diced sweet potatoes. The dice should be on the small side, bite-sized.
In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, soy sauce and spices. Spread the sweet potatoes out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. The sweet potatoes should be soft and slightly caramelized. Set aside until the soup is almost ready to be served.
Hint: to save time and make this recipe a little more hands-off, you can skip roasting the sweet potatoes. While I think it's definitely worth the effort, if you don't have the time, throw the sweet potatoes in the soup with the ham and peas. The sweet potatoes will melt and soften as the soup cooks. Delicious.
Variations
Make it vegetarian or vegan! Yes, you can. Just skip the ham. You will find the vegan version of this soup is delicious.
Also, be sure to use vegetable stock instead of chicken.
Roasting the sweet potatoes is key to a good vegan soup: roasting them with soy sauce and paprika gives this soup a rich, smoky flavour. The slightly caramelized sweet potatoes add just the right amount of texture to the soup - you won't miss the ham. I promise.
Add more vegetables. Toss in some chopped kale at the end of cooking, when you add the roasted sweet potatoes, to add a bright "greenness" to the soup and more healthy benefits.
Serving and storage
Serve this soup with a big piece of rustic sourdough bread or with these easy skillet flatbreads. It's a complete and cozy meal on its own.
Leftover soup will keep refrigerated for 4-5 days in an air-tight container. Soup can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a large freezer zip-top bag.
To reheat, transfer a portion of the soup to a small saucepan and gently heat over medium-low. The soup will continue to thicken as it sits. Add water to the saucepan ¼ cup at a time until the soup reaches the desired consistency, stirring as it reheats.
Alternatively, you can transfer a portion to a microwave-safe dish with a small amount of water and reheat for 1 minute or so at a time until fully heated through. Add enough water to reach the desired consistency. It may splash while in the microwave, so be sure to use a microwave bowl cover.
Cooking Notes
Don't rush the split peas. Split peas take time to soften, and you want them to be completely soft for the best texture. Cook them low and slow. Be sure to keep an eye on the simmering soup pot and add a bit more water if needed if the soup is too dry. Keep the ingredients well submerged while they cook.
More soup recipes
Looking for more soup recipes? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Hearty Split Pea Soup with Ham and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- dutch oven or large soup pot with lid
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon olive oil to saute vegetables
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 2 cloves or garlic crushed, or finely chopped
- 8 oz diced ham (for vegan version, omit ham)
- 450 grams split peas
- 8 cup low sodium vegetables or chicken stock
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced, about 1-½ cups
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- parsley and sliced green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat, warm olive oil and sautee onions until soften. 3-5 minutes. Add carrots, garlic, ham, split peas and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer until split peas are tender. About two hours. Check regularly to ensure soup has not gotten too dry, adding additional liquid if necessary.2 teaspoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 2 large carrots, 2 cloves or garlic, 8 oz diced ham, 450 grams split peas, 8 cup low sodium vegetables or chicken stock
Meanwhile roast the sweet potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss peeled and diced sweet potatoes in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Toss well and evenly coat the potatoes. Spread potatoes on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400 degress for 20-25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are completely soft on the inside and caramlized on the outside. Set aside.2 sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Assemble the soup
- Once the split peas are soft, stir in the roasted sweet potatoes. Simmer for a few minutes until the sweet potatoes have warmed through. Garish with parsley and sliced onions if desired. Serve.
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