Split Pea and Ham Soup

Posted October 7, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

When I started reading the Nancy Drew series in preparation for this menu, I crossed my fingers and prayed one of the books would have split pea and ham soup in it. A little weird, right? Stick with me. 😉

For ages, I’ve been looking for an excuse to share one particular split pea and ham soup recipe with you guys, and I knew the Nancy books were my best chance (they were first published in the 1930s, when pea soup was especially popular). As it turns out, luck was on my side–Nancy eats split pea and ham soup in mystery #5, THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE!

So here it is, my go-to pea soup! This little beauty is called Wisconsin Split Pea Soup. It comes from Taste of Home, and it’s one of my favorite cold weather recipes (possibly even my favorite soup ever). I tweaked it just a bit to suit my preferences, but it was practically perfect already. It’s meaty, savory, salty, and oh so comforting. Plus, it’s SO easy.

Grab your favorite mystery novel and cozy up with this steamy bowl of goodness. You’ll thank me. 🙂

A

Split Pea and Ham Soup

“Then I recommend our split-pea soup,” he told her. “It’s homemade and out of this world.” Nancy smiled at him. “I’ll take your advice and try it.” The hot soup was delicious. By the time she had finished it, Nancy’s spirits had risen considerably.

— The Hidden Staircase

INGREDIENTS:

1 meaty ham bone (if your ham bone doesn’t have much meat on it, you can always dice up a precooked hamsteak and throw it in when it’s time to add the vegetables)
1 lb dried split peas
10 cups water
1 onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces on a diagonal
2 large red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground sage

Makes approximately 12 cups of soup

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add the peas, water, and ham bone to a dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and return to medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat back to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove ham bone and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut meat from bone. Return meat to pot and discard bone. Continue to heat until meat is warmed through. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
3. Serve to your favorite sleuth when she returns from investigating her latest case!