Recipe: Split Pea Soup (Instant Pot)

Split Pea Soup (Instant Pot)

FROM THE KITCHEN OF: alex
SERVES: 8
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
[ Edit | Print ]

INGREDIENTS

Ingredient	Quantity	Unit
Avocado Oil	3	tbsp
Onion, diced	1	bulb
Celery, diced	2	ribs
Carrots, diced	2	sticks
Ham Hock (and/or 6 oz deli ham, diced)	1	bone
Split Green Peas, dry	1	lb
Chicken Broth	6	cups
Bay Leaves	2	leaves

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

Directions

* Turn pressure cooker to the "sauté" setting. Melt butter (3 tablespoons) and sauté onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes, until softened.

* Add the split peas, chicken stock (6 cups), ham bone (or hock or 6 oz. diced cooked ham), and the 2 bay leaves. Turn off the "sauté" function.

* Cover pressure cooker, make sure valve is on "sealing," and set to manual, high pressure for 15 minutes.

* Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10-15 minutes. Then, quick release the pressure valve.

* If you used a ham bone or hock: remove the it from the soup and remove the ham meat that’s still attached to it. Add the ham meat back into the soup.

* Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary (see notes). Can also add chopped fresh parsley for garnish.

Serve immediately, or store in your refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Notes

I added 1 tbsp Cayenne pepper for fun.

A note about salt: if you use salty chicken broth, you may not need to add any salt at all since ham is also usually very salty.

The peas may take longer to cook depending on their age – the older dried legumes are, the longer they take to cook. This can vary based on brand, how long they’ve sat on grocery store shelves, or how long they’ve been in your pantry.

If you want to use a frozen ham bone, you shouldn’t need to adjust the cooking time, since ham bones are technically already cooked, you’re just reheating it! Keep in mind though, the colder your ingredients are, the longer it will take to come to pressure.

For a vegetarian version, omit the ham, use more salt and pepper, and make sure to use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken. For a vegan version, use olive oil instead of butter. Add a half teaspoon of liquid smoke and a teaspoon of paprika before cooking and a half teaspoon of liquid smoke after cooking for umami.

To make this on your stovetop, sauté veggies as instructed in a large pot. After adding the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for approximately one hour (or until split peas are cooked to desired tenderness).

Sources