Instant Pot Split Pea & Ham Steak Soup
This Instant Pot Split Pea and Ham Soup recipe is so easy to throw together. Serve it with a side salad or crusty bread. The leftovers are great too, and can be re-heated for a quick lunch or dinner. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegetarian by leaving out the ham.
When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of soup.
This super easy Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is a one-pot meal that only needs 15 minutes cooking time at high pressure. Altogether, it takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, and most of that time is hands-off.
You don’t even need to soak the peas before cooking this soup. Add this easy pressure cooker meal to next week’s meal plan. I hope this recipe becomes your new favorite soup. You won’t be disappointed!
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup Benefits
- The soup is done in 45 minutes total. Most of the cooking is hands-off which means you can let the Instant Pot work its magic while you do other things.
- Customize this recipe to your liking. If you are serving it to vegans or vegetarians, use vegetable broth and leave out the ham.
- Freeze the leftovers! This recipe makes 8 servings so you can always freeze half of it for later.
Ingredients
- Split green peas make the base of this hearty soup.
- Veggies like carrots, celery, and onion add nutrition and great texture to the soup.
- Seasonings including bay leaves and black pepper add more depth of flavor.
- Ham adds saltiness and protein to make this a satisfying meal! Be sure that your ham is gluten-free if you are on a gluten-free diet. I like to use a ham steak to make this split pea soup recipe as easy as possible.
See the full list of ingredients in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Heat your oil and sauté the veggies with olive oil in the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot.
This extra step helps add flavor to the dish.
Step Two
Rinse your split peas in a fine-mesh sieve and add them to the pot with the chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Three
Lock on the lid and cook for 15 minutes cook time at high pressure.
Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down for 10 minutes (natural release). Then, use the quick release with the steam valve to get rid of any remaining pressure.
Step Four
Stir in your chopped ham and serve hot.
I hope you agree that this is a delicious soup that has deep flavor in a fraction of the time you would need on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. It’s one of my favorite easy recipes.
This recipe would go great with a side of my gluten-free cornbread!
Recipe Tips
- You do not have to soak green peas or split peas before cooking them. If you do want to soak them, you can reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes at high pressure.
- If you prefer a thinner consistency, feel free to stir in an extra cup of warmed broth or water at the end of the cooking process.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, just leave out the ham and add a teaspoon of salt to help replace some of the flavor.
- You can use bacon instead of ham in this recipe. You can either sauté a pound of uncooked bacon with the veggies, or you can stir in cooked and chopped bacon at the end.
Recipe FAQs
You do not have to soak the green split peas before cooking them. You can also use yellow split peas in this soup.
Yes, just leave out the ham and be sure to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You may need to add some extra salt to replace some of the flavor that would have come from the ham.
Yes, you can use bacon instead of ham in this recipe. You can either sauté the uncooked bacon with the veggies, or you can stir in cooked and chopped cooked bacon at the end.
Yes but I prefer to use a chopped ham steak to make it easier to serve. You don’t have to worry about a ham bone or shredding the ham. Look for ham steaks in the meat section of your local grocery store.
More Healthy Instant Pot Soup Recipes You Might Like
- Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal
- Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Rice
- Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Instant Pot Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili
Or, check out my round-up of the best Instant Pot Soups, Chilis, & Stews!
Don’t Miss These Instant Pot Resources
Instant Pot Split Pea & Ham Soup (Gluten-Free)
This Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham is such an easy soup recipe to throw together. Serve this hearty and flavorful soup with a side salad or crusty bread. The leftovers are great too, and can be re-heated for a quick lunch or dinner. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegetarian. Ready in 45 minutes.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound uncooked split green peas, rinsed and drained
- 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 8–ounce cooked ham steak, diced (be sure your ham is gluten-free if you are on a gluten-free diet)
Instructions
- Press the Sauté button on a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot. Pour in the oil and let it heat up for a few minutes.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the rinsed split peas, broth, thyme, and the bay leaf.
- Lock on the lid and set the time to 15 minutes at high pressure.
- When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes.
- Then, use the quick-release to get rid of any remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the diced ham steak and let it heat up in the soup for a few minutes.
- Serve the soup hot.
Notes
- You do not have to soak green peas before cooking them.
- If you prefer a thinner consistency, feel free to stir in an extra cup of warmed broth or water at the end of the cooking process.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, just leave out the ham and add a teaspoon of salt to help replace some of the flavor.
- You can use bacon instead of ham in this recipe. You can either sauté a pound of uncooked bacon with the veggies, or you can stir in cooked and chopped bacon at the end.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 277
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 803.9 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.2 g
- Fiber: 15.3 g
- Protein: 21.9 g
- Cholesterol: 12.8 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
Just made this and it’s in warm in the IP! So tasty. Done perfectly. Thank you!
Woo hoo!
This is so easy to make and tastes like it simmered all day. A family favorite!!!