This Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is a great way to use a leftover ham hock. If you don’t have one, feel free to use diced ham instead. A 16oz bag of split peas is 99 cents at Kroger and I used a leftover ham hock from Easter dinner in my recipe. That made this Instant Pot split pea soup a super cheap and filling meal that doesn’t shortcut flavor.
I actually froze two ham hocks from Easter Sunday and used one of them in this fall recipe. Nikki was happy with the big bone she got after all was said and done! This recipe is a great way to make sure none of your Easter ham goes to waste. Make it any time of year though for a cheap dinner idea when the budget is tight.
If you don’t have a leftover ham bone, you can always dice ham and use it instead.
How to make split pea soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ham hock
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 12 oz dried split peas, rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and secure lid. It will look prettier coming out than going in, promise.
Set Instant Pot on high pressure and cook on manual for 15 minutes then release the pressure manually. Use tongs to remove the hot ham hock from the pot and carefully remove any loose pieces of ham from the hock.
Optional – Use a food processor or immersion blender to liquify some of the soup if desired (I blend about 2 cups and leave the rest alone) Add blended soup back into the pot along with the bits of ham.
The soup will thicken as it cools so you can thin it out with water or broth as you deem necessary.
I love how quick, simple, comforting, and CHEAP this meal is. Hope you enjoy it as much as our family does.
Update: I made this Instant Pot split pea soup recipe again and decided to use the whole bag of split peas (160z) instead of measuring out 12 0z. It turned out well, but if you go this route, be sure to add at least another cup of liquid. I added water instead of additional chicken broth. As far as flavor is concerned, I didn’t notice much difference so feel free to add in water instead of chicken broth at this point.
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ham hock
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 12 oz dried split peas rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and secure lid
- Set Instant Pot on high pressure and cook on manual for 15 minutes.
- Release pressure manually
- Remove ham hock from pot and carefully remove any loose pieces of ham from the hock
- Use a food processor or immersion blender to liquify some of the soup if desired (I blend about 2 cups and leave the rest alone)
- Add blended soup back into the pot along with the bits of ham.
- Soup will thicken as it cools. Thin with water or broth if necessary.
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