Split Pea Soup with Bacon has savory onion, celery, sweet carrots, and a whisper of warm cumin to warm you up on cold, drizzly days.
This recipe for split pea soup is completely versatile. Easily swap out ham bones for the bacon, or make it vegetarian by omitting the pork and swapping the chicken bouillon to vegetable.
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While you can make split pea soup without bacon, using bacon makes it similar to the French version of split pea soup, Potage St. Germain, that contains pork belly.
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Why We Love Split Pea Soup with Bacon
- Hearty and Filling
- Recipe is Easy
- Can Be Made Thick or Thinner
- Garnish it Your Way!
About This Recipe
At least once a month in the winter, my mom made split pea soup. This was one of her go-to recipes for the family on cold dreary days. It was always simply made and delicious, served in her Rose Chintz soup bowls with crackers on the side. Today, I still make the same recipe she made with one exception, garnishes.
In later years, the 1980s, I discovered The Magic Pan restaurant in Ghiradelli Square in San Francisco had split pea soup as a regular house special. This restaurant was famous for their split pea soup, not because it was delicious, (it was!) but because you could choose to have a dollop of sour cream or a splash of sherry wine added to your bowl of soup.
No matter which you chose, that garnish made the soup extra special good. This small discovery changed my whole cooking world... a garnish could also be a flavor enhancer.
It never occurred to me to add anything to a soup besides croutons or oyster crackers. But there it was... something about that splash of sherry changed how I thought about cooking. Good food could be great food.
Today, when I think of having soup or any dish really, I also think of what garnish will complement it. Good cooks consider exactly what would make it a stand-out, good-to-the-last-drop recipe... and we ponder does it need acid, heat, salt, creaminess, or crunch?
I like to offer choice. Because everyone has a different idea of what tastes "best". Today, we really get to have it our way.
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make this Split Pea Soup with Bacon:
- Dried Split Peas - You can use either green or yellow split peas in this recipe. Green split peas are sweeter, while yellow split peas have a mild nutty flavor.
- Thick Sliced Bacon - I like the heartiness of plain, thick sliced bacon, but you can use any thickness or flavor, including smoked.
- Red Onion - I like using red onion. It is sweet, savory, and a great pairing with split peas. But you can use a sweet yellow onion too.
- Celery - Celery is a delicious supporting flavor for the soup. You can use both the ribs and the leaves.
- Fresh Garlic - Please don't use garlic from a jar. Use fresh for the best flavor. It can be pressed or finely minced.
- Dried Thyme - Fragrant and minty, thyme pairs very well with peas.
- Ground Cumin - Warm and earthy, cumin gives this split pea soup an amazing depth of flavor. Add up to 2 teaspoons if you want a stronger cumin flavor.
- Bay Leaf - Bay leaves are pungent and have a very distinctive flavor. This is the go-to herb for many simmered soups and stews.
- Chicken Bouillon - I prefer to use the Better Than Bouillon brand of roasted chicken. But you can use any bouillon.
- Carrots - Carrots add a nice touch of sweetness to the soup. I dice them, but you can also slice them.
- Water - Not Shown.
- Salt - Optional. Only add salt to taste after the soup has finished simmering. I have found that most of the time, no additional salt is needed since the bacon and the bouillon are quite salty.
Garnishes:
- Sour Cream and Croutons, or a Splash of Sherry Wine, Balsamic Vinegar, or Hot Sauce.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Important!
Always wash split peas well with cold water before cooking them. Split peas have dust and dirt on them when they are packaged... and although rare, you may also find a small stone among the peas that should be discarded.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Clean & Soak Split Peas. Place the split peas in a colander, rinse well, and inspect for any stones or debris.
Place the split peas in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and let sit for 4 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Drain, discard the soaking liquid, and rinse well. This helps to reduce gassy symptoms if you are sensitive.
Cook Bacon. In a large Dutch Oven or soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon onto paper towels. If desired, reserve some of the bacon to use as a garnish.
Pour the bacon drippings into a heat-proof Pyrex measuring cup. Wipe out the pot with paper towels and add 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.
Sauté Aromatics. Reduce heat, add the chopped red onion and celery, and cook until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, dried thyme, cumin, and bay leaf, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add Split Peas, Cooked Bacon, Carrots, Bouillon, Water. Add the drained split peas, cooked bacon, diced carrots, chicken bouillon, water, and stir well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
Cover and Cook. Cover, reduce heat, and cook on low for 1 hour. Stir well and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or until the soup is thickened to your liking.
Serve and Enjoy. Ladle into bowls or hearty cups and top with a dollop of sour cream and some croutons. Or add a splash of sherry wine, balsamic vinegar, or your favorite hot sauce.
My Top Tip
♡ Do not salt the soup until it is fully cooked. There is great variation in the amount of salt in brands of bacon and bouillon.
Troubleshooting
- Soup is Too Thin: Uncover and continue cooking the soup until it is thickened.
- Soup is Too Thick: Add additional water to thin the soup. Add a small amount of water, stir well, then add additional water if needed. Continue cooking the soup until it is heated through.
- Soup is Too Salty: Add a small, peeled, whole potato and cook for 20 minutes. The potato will absorb some of the salt. Discard the potato before serving.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make Split Pea Soup with Ham. Instead of bacon, you can use a smoked ham hock, ham shank, diced cooked ham, or the bone from a cooked ham. Cook the aromatics in two tablespoons of olive oil and add the ham or ham bone when you simmer the soup. Before serving, remove the bone, carve away any meat, and add that meat back to the soup.
- Make Split Pea Soup with Sausage. Substitute your favorite ground pork sausage for the bacon. Good choices are mild breakfast sausage and Italian sausage.
- Substitute Smoked Turkey Leg. Instead ham or pork you can use a smoked turkey leg. Follow the directions above for substituting ham bones.
- Add Other Spices. Experiment with adding other spices that go well with ham, like allspice or cloves. Use these spices sparingly, until you are familiar with their flavor.
- Vegetarian Version. Omit the bacon. Substitute olive oil for the rendered bacon fat and substitute vegetable bouillon for the chicken bouillon.
Make-Ahead, Storage, & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigeration: After the soup has cooled, transfer it to a sealed container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Transfer the soup to freezer containers or bags and freeze it for up to one month.
- Reheating: The soup will be very thick after being refrigerated or frozen and will need to be thinned. Add the soup to a pot with a lid. Gradually add water or broth to the soup to thin it, stir it, and reheat over low heat until it is heated through and has simmered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat the soup in a microwave.
More Delicious Soups and Stews You Will Love
♡ Did you love this recipe for Split Pea Soup with Bacon? Please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how things went in the ✍ comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Split Pea Soup with Bacon
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Ingredients
- 1 Pound Dried Split Peas, Rinsed, Sorted, and Soaked
- ¾ Pound Thick Sliced Bacon, Chopped and Slices Separated
- 1 Large Red Onion, Finely Chopped
- 2 Stalks Celery, Finely Chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Pressed or Chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 Large Carrots, Peeled and Diced, Divided
- 1 Tablespoon Roasted Chicken Better Than Bouillon
- 6 Cups Water
Garnishes:
- Sour Cream and Croutons, or a Splash of Sherry Wine, Balsamic Vinegar, or Hot Sauce
Instructions
- Clean & Soak Split Peas. Place the split peas in a colander, rinse well, and inspect for any stones or debris. Place the split peas in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and let sit for 4 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Drain, discard the soaking liquid, and rinse well. This helps to reduce gassy symptoms if you are sensitive.1 Pound Dried Split Peas
- Cook Bacon. In a large Dutch Oven or soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon onto paper towels. If desired, reserve some of the bacon to use as a garnish.Pour the bacon drippings into a heat-proof Pyrex measuring cup. Wipe out the pot with paper towels and add 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.¾ Pound Thick Sliced Bacon
- Sauté Aromatics. Reduce heat, add the chopped red onion and celery, and cook until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, dried thyme, cumin, and bay leaf, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.1 Large Red Onion, 2 Stalks Celery, 2 Cloves Garlic, 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme, ½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 Bay Leaf
- Add Split Peas, Cooked Bacon, Carrots, Bouillon, Water. Add the drained split peas, cooked bacon, diced carrots, chicken bouillon, water, and stir well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.1 Tablespoon Roasted Chicken Better Than Bouillon, 2 Large Carrots, 6 Cups Water
- Cover and Cook. Cover, reduce heat, and cook on low for 1 hour. Stir well and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or until the soup is thickened to your liking.
- Serve and Enjoy. Ladle into bowls or hearty cups and top with a dollop of sour cream and some croutons. Or add a splash of sherry wine, balsamic vinegar, or your favorite hot sauce.Sour Cream and Croutons, or a Splash of Sherry Wine, Balsamic Vinegar, or Hot Sauce
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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