Split Pea Soup with Ham, Mushrooms, Carrots, and Wheatberries
(This Split Pea Soup with Ham, Mushrooms, Carrots, and Wheatberries is an old recipe that has been removed from my site, but I am leaving the printer-friendly recipe here in cases anyone was a fan of the recipe. Check out Split Pea Soup with Ham, Peppers, and Epazote, Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Chicken Sausage and Carrots, or Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham and Sweet Potatoes for more split pea soup ideas.
(Makes about 6 generous servings, recipe created by Kalyn.)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup wheatberries (soak in boiling water for 1 hour)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil (more or less, depending on your pan)
2 cups diced ham (I also simmered the ham rind with soup for more flavor)
8 cups chicken stock (I used homemade chicken stock, but can use canned chicken stock)
4 cups water +1-2 cups more added later
1 cup +1/2 cup green split peas
1 large carrot, diced into small pieces
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring several cups of water to boil, place dried wheatberries in a medium-sized bowl, and pour boiling water over wheatberries. Let soak for at least one hour before proceeding with soup.
While wheatberries soak, wash and slice mushrooms. (I sliced them, then cut slices in strips for small sliced pieces.)
Saute mushrooms in olive oil until softened, then add to soup pot.
In same pan, add more olive oil if needed, then saute chopped onion until soft and add to soup pot.
Drain wheatberries and add to soup pot. Then add diced ham, chicken stock, water, 1 cup split peas, diced carrot, thyme, and bay leaf (along with some pieces of ham rind if available) and bring the mixture to a low simmer.
Cook for about 1 hour, or until wheatberries are softened and split peas are starting to soften and dissolve into the base of the soup.
Then add 1/2 cup more split peas and 1-2 cups more water (depending on how thick you want the finished soup to be.)
Remove bay leaves (and ham rind if using) then simmer soup for 45-60 minutes more, until second addition of split peas are soft but still mostly whole.
Season soup to taste with fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.
22 Comments on “Split Pea Soup with Ham, Mushrooms, Carrots, and Wheatberries”
Fun to find so many split pea fans. Ham is definitely optional. I’ve been working hard on mastering soup photos, since soup is one of my favorite things to cook, so nice to know that I’m improving.
split pea is my absolute favorite bean! even better than black beans which are my specialty! other than the ham, i loooove this!
That looks absolutely lovely! I just found your blog through foodgawker (I was attracted by the pretty photograph!) and I will definitely be having a good browse around here!
Split pea soup and wheatberries are two of my favorites… I would never think to put them together!
I loved hearing the blogger panel – great advice for any food blogger, especially newbies. This soup/stew looks oh so good! I’ve never actually cooked with wheatberries – I use them for living Easter grass in baskets and clay pots, where the green of grass is oh so welcome while we still have snow in NH! Now is the time if you want to try growing it – just layer on top of soil and water -up in 6 days.
Yum! This looks so warming and satisfying.
Yum… I agree with MyKitcheninHalfCups…taking pictures of soup must be a specialized art…but you have mastered it! This looks delicious and I can tell from the ingredients that it is!
Split pea soup is so perfect for spring. Yours is gorgeous. Can’t wait to hear the SBSW panel. Thanks for sharing the link!
Sue Bette, would love to go to SXSW another year. I only got to be there one day, but it was fun.
Pam, I love split pea soup! Any variation.
Vanielje, the wheatberries are a fun crunch in the soup. Much more crunchy than barley.
Dani, thanks! Sorry about the gray skies.
Hillary you could certainly leave out the ham. I might add a bit of soy sauce, or my friend Lydia adds a little barbecue sauce to bean soups for a smoky touch.
I love split pea soup but do you think I could use this recipe without the ham?
It’s pretty gray here in LA today and this soup looks like it would hit the spot!! And i have to agree with Mykitcheninhalfcups… soup is hard one to photograph and you’ve seem to got it down, Kalyn!
Kalyn, I will have to bookmark this for when I’m back to winter. I love wheatberries.
I can’t believe that I’ve never made a split pea soup. Everyone seems to love it, but I don’t think I’ve even ever tasted it.
I’ve been dreaming about getting to SXSW for years now! I hope you enjoyed your trip and that life is good!
I have always LOVED split pea soup, something about the color and texture, yours looks delicious!
Peter, thanks for the kind wishes. I’m starting to get back into my normal routine.
Nate-n-Annie, I think the taste is very similar to barley. It would be fun to do a blind taste test to see if people could tell the difference.
The wheatberries kinda look like barley. Do they taste the same?
I hope you’re well after tending to family matters.
Split pea soup is a hearty winter dish. Here in Canada, the French-Canadian pea soup uses a smoked ham-hock…a delight!
Pearl, thanks. I really liked how this soup turned out.
Tanna, I liked Austin quite a lot although I got there late on Monday night and left at noon on Wednesday, so it was a quick trip. I’d definitely go to SXSW again if I had a chance, and I had some great food there. I was kind of surprised at how “small town” it felt in some ways, but also charming.
As for the soup photos, I think it’s the 100mm macro lens that makes a difference, but I do think soup is very hard to photograph!
You somehow manage to take fabulous photos of soup – I’ve tried, it’s hard.
This looking so good. I’d love a bowl. Wheatberries in soup, that would be good.
Did you enjoy Austin? We’ve not spent much time there but I hear it’s a beautiful town.
oh my gosh i love the color and all the veggies!