Freezer Split Pea and Ham Soup

Name: Freezer Split Pea and Ham Soup
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 400g dried split peas, rinsed; 600g unsmoked gammon joint; 2 onions, chopped; 3 carrots, diced; 3 celery sticks, chopped; 2 bay leaves; 2.5l water; 1 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 tsp black pepper

A thick, smoky pea and ham soup that is cheap to make and gets better after freezing. A proper winter bowl.

Time2 hr 15
LevelEasy
Costabout £1.35 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

8 servings

Ingredients

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400 gdried split peasrinsed
600 gunsmoked gammon joint
2onionschopped
3carrotsdiced
3celery stickschopped
2bay leaves
2.5 lwater
1 tbspolive oil
½ tspblack pepper

Method

1
Put the gammon, water and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim off any froth and simmer for 45 minutes.
45 min
2
Lift out the gammon and set aside. Keep the cooking water.
3
Heat the oil in a second pot and cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes.
8 min
4
Add the split peas and the cooking water. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until the peas have broken down.
45 min
5
Shred the gammon with two forks and stir most of it back in. Add the pepper. Blend a third of the soup for a thick, creamy texture.
6
Cool fully and freeze in tubs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, add a splash of water and heat until hot.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.