# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 leftover ham bone with some meat attached
02 - 1 cup diced cooked ham
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 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 black pepper
12 - Salt to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a small amount of oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in rinsed split peas, ham bone, bay leaf, dried thyme, and black pepper. 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 peas are very tender and the soup thickens.
05 - Extract the ham bone and bay leaf from the pot. Once the bone cools slightly, shred any remaining meat and return it to the pot along with the diced ham.
06 - Taste and season with salt and additional black pepper as needed.
07 - For a smoother texture, partially puree the soup using an immersion blender if desired.
08 - Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, optionally accompanied by crusty bread.
