In the midst of the holiday season, plentiful leftovers can seem like a blessing and a curse. Multiple days nibbling on various mash ups of the holiday feast while watching your favorite seasonal movies and skipping the cooking can be quite nice. However, that third plate of ham, mashed potatoes and green beans just never seems to hit the spot quite like the first few. That’s when it’s time to reinvent the leftovers, and when I have holiday ham on hand, pea soup is the first thing that pops into my mind to use up some of that ham in a comforting and delicious new way.
A great bonus of this recipe is that it lets you use up all your leftovers—even the ham bone, if you want to toss it in for extra flavor in your soup.
Printable Recipe
Pea Soup with Leftover Holiday Ham
Ingredients
- 3 TBSP Olive Oil
- 2 c. diced ham
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 lb. dried green split peas
- 8 c. chicken stock or bone broth for extra protien
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Directions
- Heat a heavy pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the oil. Once the oil is glistening, add the chopped ham. Cook, stirring as needed, until the ham is golden brown (about 8-10 minutes)
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the onion, carrot and celery. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute
- Place peas in a colander, rinse, and pick through and remove any debris or small pebbles.
- Add the peas, chicken stock or bone broth, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered stirring occasionally until the peas soften and the soup thickens (about 1 hour and 30 minutes)
- Don’t forget to throw in the leftover hambone to add extra flavor, if desired.
The Peaceful Plate 