# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 1 leftover ham bone with some meat attached
02 - 1 cup cooked ham, diced
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 bay leaf
→ Legumes
08 - 2 cups dried split peas, rinsed and sorted
→ Liquids
09 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - Salt, to taste
# How to Make:
01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add rinsed split peas, ham bone, bay leaf, dried thyme, and black pepper to the pot. Pour in chicken broth.
04 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring occasionally, until split peas are tender and soup thickens.
05 - Remove ham bone and bay leaf. Allow bone to cool slightly, then remove remaining meat from bone and return meat along with diced cooked ham to the pot.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and additional pepper as needed.
07 - For a creamier consistency, partially puree the soup using an immersion blender, if desired.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot, accompanied by crusty bread if preferred.
