• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Well Nourished HomepageWell Nourished

Simple recipes, whole foods, inspired health

  • Family Members
    • Meal Plans
      • G’s Winter Meal Plan
      • G’s Summer Meal Plan
      • My Weekly Planner
      • Quick Access Shopping List
      • Meal Prep Plans
      • Event Plans
      • Wellness Plans
    • Recipe Filter
    • Start Here
      • Getting Kids On-board
      • Planning for Picky Eaters
      • New to Meal Planning
      • Meal Planning Tips & Tricks
    • NOURISHING RESOURCES
    • Members Offers
    • What’s New This Week
    • Events
    • Video Vault
    • About
    • FAQ
  • Start Here
    • How to be Well Nourished
    • About
    • Testimonials
    • Join the Family
    • Where to Shop and what to Buy
    • Help
  • Recipes
    • Latest Recipes
    • My Favourites
    • After School Snacks
    • Breakfast
    • Dips, Sauces, Dressings
    • Drinks & Smoothies
    • Healthy Lunchbox
    • Holidays & Entertaining
    • Meals
      • 30 Minute Meals
      • Budget Friendly
      • Chicken & Turkey
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Freezable Meals
      • Make-ahead Meals
      • Meat
      • Pasta and Noodles
      • Pork
      • Slow Cooked
      • Vegetarian
    • Members only
    • Savoury Snacks
    • Sides & Salads
      • Salads
      • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Sourdough Baking
    • Staples
    • Sweet Stuff
      • Baked Sweets
      • Desserts
      • Ice-blocks
      • No-bake Sweets
  • Living Well
    • Budgeting & Planning
    • Carbs, Protein, Fats
      • Carbohydrates
      • Fats
      • Protein
    • Digestion & Intolerance
    • Edible Garden
    • Exercise & Movement
    • Foods to Avoid
    • Food as Medicine
    • Health Challenges
    • Healthy Food Choices
    • Healthy Habits
    • Holidays
    • Home
    • Immune Health
    • Mind
    • Maternal health
    • Organic Eating
    • Our Environment
    • Pets
    • Stress & Mood Disorders
    • Sugar
  • Healthy Kids
    • Healthy Baby
    • Healthy Toddler
    • Healthy Child
    • Immune support for kids
    • Digestion & Food Allergies
    • Healthy Lunchboxes
  • Resources
    • Whole foods pantry list
    • Ingredients Glossary
    • Products and Services I Value
    • Become an Affiliate
    • Find whole food
      • ACT
      • NSW
      • NT
      • SA
      • QLD
      • TAS
      • VIC
      • WA
  • Shop
  • Login
    • Well Nourished Family
    • Well Nourished Kids
    • The Kitchen Edit
  • My account

Healthy Pea and Ham Soup

August 7, 2019 | Budget Friendly, Slow Cooked, Soups, Vegetarian

This budget friendly Healthy Pea and Ham Soup is a no-fuss, set and forget type meal that my whole family loves. It's like a warm hug in a bowl.

This is my take on a Dutch style Healthy Pea and Ham soup. I can’t always source good quality ham hocks so I’ve improvised to replicate the flavour combo of smoked meat and legumes that I grew up with, but using a pork chop and bacon instead of the hock.

The result is this tasty, hearty stew like soup that’s more a complete meal than a starter. Whilst it has a long cooking time, it really is a no-fuss, set and forget type meal that my whole family loves. It’s also a very budget friendly meal which is always a bonus.

Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements (including vegan, vegetarian, onion and garlic-free options).

Healthy Pea and Ham Soup

Prep 1 day 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 4
This budget friendly Healthy Pea and Ham Soup is a no-fuss, set and forget type meal that my whole family loves. It's like a warm hug in a bowl.
ADD TO FAVORITESADDED TO FAVORITES
4.89 from 26 votes
This Healthy Pea and Ham Soup is an easy to make, hearty meal in a bowl that's sure to become a family favourite. It's gluten and dairy-free and super delicious.

Ingredients

  • 200 g dried green split peas (1 cup)
  • 1 pork chop -fat trimmed
  • 3 rasher/s bacon
  • 1 red onion/s (large) diced
  • 2 clove/s garlic -diced
  • 2 stick/s celery -finely diced
  • 1.5 L water
  • 1 tsp sea salt - or to taste
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1 carrot/s (large) finely diced
  • 1 potato/s (large) peeled and finely diced
  • 1 sweet potato/s (medium) peeled and finely diced
  • 30 g baby spinach -or kale (optional) (aapprox. 1 handful)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Method

  • Soak the split peas overnight in enough water to allow for them to expand. Strain and rinse them very well (in a sieve under running water).
  • Place the split peas, pork chops, bacon, onion, garlic, celery and water into a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 mins. Any scum that appears just skim it from the top.
  • Then add carrot, potato and sweet potato and simmer slowly for another hour or until the split peas are mushy and the soup has thickened.
  • Remove the pork from the bone (it should just fall away). Break any solid bits up and mix through the soup.
  • Sir through the leafy greens (if including) and allow them to wilt.

Serve

  • Serve with crusty sourdough bread.

Make-ahead

  • Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.

Store

  • In an airtight container in the fridge or freezer

Slow Cooker

  • This can certainly cooked in a slow cooker. However, as the time and amount of liquid varies between brands of slow cookers, base both on thick soup like recipes in the guide book for your specific slow cooker.

Variations

Onion and garlic-free

Substitute with a small bulb of fennel, diced finely and a pinch of cayenne.

Vegan

Omit the bacon and pork and add a tablespoon of smoked paprika and increase the salt to 1 tablespoon. You could also replace the water with vegetable stock if you like.

Add more veggies

Feel free to add in extra vegetables if you like. I sometimes add cauliflower and broccoli for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
 

I'd love to hear how you and your family enjoy this recipe. Leave a comment below or rate this recipe.  

Course: Soup
Author: Georgia Harding

Share the goodness!

Category: Budget Friendly, Slow Cooked, Soups, Vegetarian Tags: bacon, coconutfree, cornfree, dairyfree, dinner, eggfree, familyfood, garlicfree, glutenfree, lowfructose, lowsugar, lunch, meal, nutfree, onionfree, pork, seafoodfree, sesamefree, soup, soyfree, splitpeas, vegan, vegetarian, wheatfree, yeastfree

Reader Interactions

39 Comments

Post a comment
  1. Rebecca Wood says

    Hi Georgia – I planned to make this soup tonight and completely forgot to soak the green split peas….
    Can I cook anyway and will the peas need a little longer? I can probably still soak them for 3-4hrs before I have to get dinner underway (Im in WA).
    Thanks!!

    August 8, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Hi Rebecca
      I know I answered you on FB – how did it work out for you? G x

      August 9, 2019
      Reply
  2. Jodie Fraumano says

    Hi Georgia,
    We absolutely love your recipes in our house so thank you for all you do.

    Two questions, do you have a thermie method for this one and if I do have a ham hock which I do (have been saving in the freezer since xmas and really need to use it up…and voila your recipe comes in!), do i just sub that for the pork chop and bacon or are some of those needed as well?

    Thanks
    Jodie

    August 9, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Hi Jodie. Shazam, universe delivers (via WN ?).

      So I didn’t do a TMX method as I was worried about the bone in the chop compromising the blade and it all fitting in. Plus its just one pot on the stove and ridiculously easy to make anyhow.

      Yes you will just sub the hock with the pork and bacon. Enjoy – I’ve already had some great feedback on socials. G x

      August 9, 2019
      Reply
  3. Aja says

    Just made the vegan version. Amazing flavour. You are my go to lady for all things kids and dinners. Thanks once again.

    August 9, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Oh fabulous Aja,so thrilled you enjoyed it. Appreciate your feedback G x

      August 12, 2019
      Reply
  4. Deb says

    Could you do this is a slow cooker ?

    August 9, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      I haven’t tried it but can’t see why not. Let me know how it goes. G x

      August 12, 2019
      Reply
  5. Sally O’Grady says

    5 stars
    Hi Georgia made this soup last night and it was a huge success!! So easy to just throw everything in and put on the stove, the pork chop gave a delicious flavour, so much nicer than the usual over salty/fatty ham hocks and not to mention better for you without the added nitrates….the whole family gave a thumbs up and even the kids went back for second! Thanks Georgia x

    August 10, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      That’s so awesome Sally. Glad everyone loved it, cheers for the 5?s Gx

      August 12, 2019
      Reply
  6. Michelle says

    Hi Georgia,

    As an Aussie living in The Netherlands (married to a Dutchie) I loved seeing this recipe. It’s still summer here, but have bookmarked this to try when the weather gets colder. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Every one I have tried is always easy to make and delicious. Thank you for your wonderful work

    August 12, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Thrilled to inspire your cooking across the globe Michelle! I really appreciate your wonderful feedback too, G x

      August 12, 2019
      Reply
  7. Krisanne says

    5 stars
    I made this today but it was taking forever so I ended up putting it into my Crock Pot and wow done in 10 min , not sure what was going on with the stovetop but hey not complaining because was so delicious and thanks so much as it will be one of my fav soups in winter now , thanks so much cheers

    Oh tagged you in my insta also with a pic ?

    August 14, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Ah fabulous. So glad you enjoyed it, loved seeing your pic on IG too. Thanks for your feedback and for rating the recipe too, Georgia x

      August 15, 2019
      Reply
  8. Claire says

    5 stars
    Another winner dish! Cooked this today in the slow cooker, soaked split peas overnight and threw everything in this morning, on low for about 9 hours and came out perfect. Have been back for seconds and my 3 year old twins loved it!

    August 17, 2019
    Reply
    • Claire says

      Forgot to mention, I only used 1 litre of water ?

      August 18, 2019
      Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Oh yay, great to know it worked well in your slow cooker too. Appreciate your feedback and the 5?s Claire. G x

      August 22, 2019
      Reply
  9. Larissa says

    5 stars
    Amazing flavour really loveley, thank you again ?

    August 29, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      You’re welcome Larissa, Georgia x

      September 2, 2019
      Reply
  10. Lauren says

    5 stars
    Yet another fabulous recipe thank you Georgia! I have always meant to try making pea and ham soup, but it always seemed too hard to find the right ingredients. It was great to have a soup with so much flavour that didn’t use stock as a base as I had run out. I picked up the pork and salt-cured bacon from my local farmers market last weekend and made a double batch. Such beautiful nourishing comfort food. I love that I can cook any of your recipes knowing they will be delicious!!

    September 4, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Oh yay – I wasn’t sure if the traditionalists would like my version, but it’s been really popular so obviously my little variations suit others too. Thanks for your feedback and fro rating the recipe Lauren G x

      September 5, 2019
      Reply
  11. Melanie says

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I used a smoked pork shank as I had one in the fridge and forgot to pre-soak the peas but cooked for around 4 hours and it was delicious! Another nourishing meal of yours that the kids ate without complaint… Thankyou Georgia xx

    September 17, 2019
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Oh fabulous, so thrilled you all loved it. Thanks so much for the feedback and the 5 ?s too G x??

      September 23, 2019
      Reply
  12. Johanna Lundgren says

    Can I use lentils instead of peas?

    February 23, 2020
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      I haven’t recipe tested it. It would produce a different consistency as the peas break down altogether, But I do like the taste of bacon and lentils so I think the taste would be fine. Let me know how you go Gx

      March 1, 2020
      Reply
  13. Shona says

    5 stars
    Absolutely beautiful soup. Thank you for the recipe. Hubby and I loved it.

    March 2, 2020
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      So glad you enjoyed it Shona and appreciate the 5 star rating G x

      March 6, 2020
      Reply
  14. Tereza says

    Hi Georgia,
    how big should be the 1 pork chop please? I usually use yellow split peas in traditional pea ham soup, so cant wait to taste your soup.

    May 6, 2020
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Hi Tereza, mine was about the size of my hand ☺️ enjoy G x

      May 7, 2020
      Reply
  15. Arina says

    5 stars
    As a Dutchie in Australia I really craved this when we had the cold snap last week. While it was not quite the pea soup I am used to, it did not disappoint! The only thing missing was a smoked sausage which normally gives it the salty kick but that is not available in Australia unfortunately. But the soup itself was delicious and the bacon and pork chop gave it almost the right taste 😉

    May 8, 2020
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      That’s a great compliment thanks Arina. So glad you enjoyed it, yes the chop and bacon combo was the ‘less processed’ trade off ? Cheers for the 5?s G x

      May 8, 2020
      Reply
  16. Tara says

    5 stars
    Amazing soup- even fussy husband loved it. This was very easy and one of the tastiest soups I’ve made (along with your Asian noodle soup). Feel great after eating it. Thank you!

    June 16, 2020
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      So glad you both loved it Tara, cheers for the 5 ?s too G x

      June 18, 2020
      Reply
  17. Lisa Hodge says

    5 stars
    It’s a winner winner Ham dinner! My 4yo was immediately drawn to the idea of Ham for dinner. My 1yo old had 2 bowls and hubby said it was delicious but not as good as his mums…. it’s okay I’ll take that. It’s the best pea n Ham soup I’ve ever had 10/10

    June 2, 2021
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Ha ha – mums food is always the best! So glad you and the kids enjoyed it Lisa G x

      June 4, 2021
      Reply
  18. Kirsty Sutton says

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness Georgia…. I have to say I was super skeptical as I was making this. I was so tempted to add stock of some description! But I read the previous comments here and trusted the recipe. Mind blown! This soup is so good. Hubby loved it, Mr 4 and Mr 6 scoffed it down for dinner last night and I’m currently eating another bowl for lunch. This will be a regular for sure! Thank you x

    June 23, 2021
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Thrilled you enjoyed it Kristy, cheers for the great feedback and 5 stars too G x

      June 23, 2021
      Reply
  19. Jacintha Gunasekera says

    5 stars
    Hubby: What’s this?
    Me: Vegan Pea & Ham soup
    Hubby: ?I’m not sure how that works…?

    ?I know! But it does! Was hugely surprised by this recipe! Thank you.

    June 25, 2021
    Reply
    • Georgia Harding says

      Love it, so glad it was a hit G x

      June 27, 2021
      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

We respect your privacy. Your details are only used to reply to your comment or question. Full details in our Privacy Policy

Primary Sidebar

Join FB Group

Social Media

Join over 140,000 followers

Nourish Your Inbox

Nourish Your Inbox!

Christmas Meal Planning Ebook

Sign up today for your FREE: • Chocolate Ebook • Subscribers Only Special Offers • Practical Health & Nutrition Tips • New Whole Food Recipes

Raising WN Kids – Public

Raising Well Nourished Kids

Raise kids who love eating wholefoods. Take the stress out of meal times and fix fussy eating for good!

Find our more…

WN App

Download the free
Well Nourished App

Register to receive access to over 300 recipes on the go. New recipes added regularly. We’re excited to help you nourish yourself with ease.

Join the Family

Join the Family

Join The Family

It’s a membership for busy parents who want help and motivation to create healthy and delicious family meals, week after week.

Find Out More

Hundred of Recipes

Hundreds of Recipes

Hundreds of delicious, nourishing and easy to make recipes.

Search

Dietary Preference

Have a Dietary Preference or Food Intolerance?

We’ve got you covered. All of our recipes feature variations including:

  • • Vegetarian
  • • Dairy Free
  • • Nut Free
  • • Gluten Free
  • • And more

There’s no restrictions to nourishment here, so happy exploring and cooking!

RECIPES

Meal Planning – Members

Featured Lunchbox Ebook – Public

From the Shop

See More

Footer

Logos

Well Nourished HomepageWell Nourished

As featured on

Footer-social

Connect with us

  • About
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Website Terms of Use
  • Affiliates

© Well Nourished 2022

A Firstnature site

adroll_adv_id = "RZZOSLKK5RDXDEWMIK6HEB"; adroll_pix_id = "6JAHLLZCXZGOVJPMEN5KJY"; adroll_version = "2.0"; adroll_current_page = "other"; adroll_currency = "AUD"; adroll_language = "en_US";
Sign up today for your FREE:
Immune Plan Ebook to find out how:
• How can you avoid colds and flu in winter?
• What foods will give me the most energy?
• What’s S.L.O.W. eating all about?