Green Pea and Ham Soup Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 03/9/22
Green Pea and Ham Soup

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
209 Calories
11g Fat
16g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 209
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 634mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 13mg 63%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 517mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Green pea and ham soup is a classic British dish. It's normally made using dried, split peas that, although delicious, do require some planning for the long, slow cooking of the split peas. Another great way to make a similar soup is with frozen green peas which are often already in your freezer.

As well as peas, the soup uses cubes of cooked ham, (also the perfect way to use up any leftover baked ham) which give the soup the perfect texture and make a filling dinner in just 30 minutes. Serve with warm bread and mint butter, or make the ultimate British cheese toastie for a decadent dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup canola oil, or olive oil, cold-pressed

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

  • 4 cups beef stock, or chicken stock

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

  • 1 sprig mint, plus extra for garnish

  • 17 ounces (500 grams) green peas, frozen, divided

  • 1/3 pound cooked ham, cut into pea-sized dice, divided

  • 1 dash salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Green Pea and Ham Soup ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat being careful not to burn it (if it does smoke, start again). Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. The onions should be softened but not browned.

    Add the onions to a saucepan and cook until translucent

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

    onions and garlic cooking in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Add the stock, chopped parsley, the leaves from the sprig of mint, 2/3 of the peas, and 2/3 of the ham. Reserve remaining peas and ham.

    Add the stock, chopped parsley, mint, peas, and ham to the onion mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Simmer over a gentle heat for 10 minutes. The peas should be cooked and the ham warmed throughout.

    cook the soup in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Working in batches, carefully blend the soup in a food processor until a thick, chunky soup is created. If the soup is too thin it can be reduced down next, and if too thick, add a little boiling water.

    Green Pea and Ham Soup in a food processor

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. Pour the soup back into the saucepan, add the remaining peas and ham, and heat until the peas are cooked and the ham warmed right through. Check the seasoning and add black pepper and salt as desired. Be very careful with the salt as the ham is already quite salty.

    Green Pea and Ham Soup in a pot

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tips

  • Trim any excess fat from the ham before using; it helps keep the soup leaner and less greasy.
  • If you under-blend the soup, the skins of the peas will still be visible, so make sure these are well blended. Alternatively, cook all the peas first in the broth, blend thoroughly, strain in a colander to get rid of any skins, and then add the ham.

Recipe Variation

  • Mint is a great herb for peas but replace it with your herb of choice. Tarragon and chervil also make great partners with green peas and ham.