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For the chilliest of nights

This Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock is a deliciously hearty way to warm up during the cold fall and winter months. Dried green split peas combine with a simple blend of carrots, celery, and onions seasoned with garlic, thyme, bay, and a pinch of red pepper flakes in your electric pressure cooker. Everything cooks down together with a rich smoked ham hock until it's fall-off-the-bone tender. The resulting soup is thick and hearty, with rich chunks of smoked ham -- perfect for cozying up with on the chilliest of nights.

two bowls of Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock resting on a white piece of fabric with French bread pieces around the bowls

a spoon resting in a bowl of Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hockon a wooden surface

What should I serve this Split Pea Soup with?

I like to Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock with a simple side of fresh, crusty bread, a side of my Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread, or a Grain-Free Cheddar Biscuit.

Let's talk about the smoked ham hock for a moment

Smoked ham hocks are surprisingly easy to find, wrapped in plastic and tucked in with the other pork products, at most grocery stores. In my experience, these pre-packaged ham hocks are usually sub-par and if you buy them I feel confident you’ll want to chuck them straight from your pressure cooker into the trash. Do yourself a favor and buy a ham hock from a reputable butcher and ask them to split it in half for you so you can better access all the meaty goodness, once cooked.

a wooden spatula resting in an instant pot with a ham hock and the ingredients for split pea soup resting in the bowl with the spatula

a white bowl filled with Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock

Which pressure cooker do I use?

I use the term “pressure cooker” rather than “Instant Pot” very intentionally because I want it to be flexible for those who may use other brands. I personally use an Instant Pot Ultra 6qt, but this Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock can easily be made in other electric pressure cookers as well.

The reason I mention this is because there are often variations to the cooking time in the different machines. With my prior Cuisinart machine, I found that my dishes cooked much more intensely, so I likely would have lowered the amount of time that I cooked this soup in that machine. For the Instant Pot model I have, I find that the Split Pea Soup cooks perfectly in about 20-minutes on high pressure, with 15-minutes of natural pressure release.

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

An electric pressure cooker
A cutting board
A vegetable peeler
A chef’s knife
A strainer for rinsing/draining the split peas
A small knife and a fork for separating the meat once cooked
A kitchen scale - OR - Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
A meat thermometer

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

two white bowls silled with Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock resting on a white cloth with French bread on the table

two white bowls filled with split pea soup and ham resting on a white cloth on a wooden table with pieces of French bread on the cloth

Storage and freezing

When stored properly in airtight containers in the refrigerator, this Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock should keep for up to 4 days. This recipe also freezes well for up to three months in airtight freezer-safe containers. To reheat, simply allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat in a pot on the stove or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave.

A note for special diets

This Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock is friendly for dairy-free and gluten-free diets. Dried green split peas are naturally gluten-free, however, if you are gluten-sensitive it is important to select a brand that is certified gluten-free to ensure that no stray grains made their way into the legumes during processing.

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock and a french bread baguette next to the bowls on a wooden surface

a hand dipping a piece of french bread into a bowl of green split pea soup with ham hock in a bowl

Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock

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Author: Whip & Wander
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Soups & Stews
Method: Pressure Cooker
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Ingredients

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2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil - OR - 2 tablespoon olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (about 230 g / 1 ½ cups)
3 stalks celery, chopped (about 122g / 1 cup)
1 bundle green onions, chopped (about 54 g / 1 cup) - OR - ½ yellow onion, finely diced (about 52 g / 1 cup)
6-8 cups chicken broth (depending on thickness preference *see notes*)
1 lb dried green split peas, rinsed and picked through
2 tsp dried thyme - OR - 2 tablespoon fresh thyme
½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 ½ lbs smoked ham hock (around ½ lb meat after you discard the bones, tendon, skin)

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Instructions

Turn the electric pressure cooker to the saute function (select medium if your machine offers the choice). Heat 2 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil (or 2 tablespoon olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic). When the oil begins to shimmer add the carrots, celery, and onions. Saute until the carrots and celery begin to soften (if using yellow onion cook until translucent), about 5-minutes.
Turn off the saute function and deglaze with 6 cups chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure that any browned buts are dislodged.
Add green split peas, thyme, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Then add the ham hock to the pot on top of the other ingredients.
Secure the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 20-minutes. The machine will take about 15-minutes to come to pressure before it begins its countdown. Once finished, natural release the pressure for 15-minutes, then safely quick release the remaining pressure.
Test the temperature of the ham hock with a meat thermometer. It should have reached a minimum of 165 degrees F, but will likely end up around 200 degrees F.
Separate the meat from bone on your ham hock. This can usually be done easily with a small knife. Discard bones, tendons, and excess skin. Shred the meat and combine back into the pot with the soup. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust, if needed.
The soup will thickens substantially as it cools, so the remaining 2 cups chicken broth can be used to thin as desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Adjusting the thickness with broth: I find that the soup is lovely as-is the first night when cooked with 6 cups of chicken broth, but needs to be thinned for leftovers as it thickens in the fridge to the consistency of mashed potatoes. If you prefer a thinner soup, an additional 2 cups of broth can be used initially to cook the soup, or, you can thin as desired for the remaining leftovers.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 457
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 1429 mg
Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 53 g
Fiber: 20 g
Protein: 42 g
Cholesterol: 71 mg