Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
This 30-minute Instant Pot split pea soup is everything you want on a chilly day. Filled with tender split peas, smoky pork shoulder, and plenty of fresh vegetables, it delivers a creamy, hearty bowl of pure comfort. One taste and you’ll see why this easy, satisfying soup becomes a repeat favorite.
I love this split pea soup for its comforting flavor and especially for the smoky richness that comes from using smoked pork shoulder.
One Easter, my sister hosted a family dinner, and my nephew Bryan asked me in advance to give him a quick Instant Pot lesson. During a quiet moment, he brought his Instant Pot inside, and I showed him the basics. His siblings hadn’t realized he’d asked beforehand, so they thought I just spontaneously decided to teach everyone about pressure cooking. According to Christopher, I sounded like an infomercial — the only thing missing was free samples.
We are a participant in Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites. #CommisionsEarned. You can read my disclosure here.
Helpful tips
- I chose to sauté the vegetables but you don’t have to. Want to save some calories on the oil? Omit it and also skip the sautéing, just throw all the ingredients together in the IP.
- I use beef broth in this recipe because of the robust flavor, but if you prefer, you can use chicken broth instead.
- The instant pot always takes around 10 – 15 minutes to come to pressure, so if you are planning on timing your meal, factor that in.
- Also, if you aren’t going to do a quick release of the pressure, you must factor in that time as well. The instant pot takes between another 15 – 25 minutes to release the pressure.
- If I’m in a hurry, I usually wait 5 minutes, then don an oven mitt and release the pressure manually but tapping at the venting knob. Be careful, the steam can burn you.
- You can make this alcohol free by substituting it with 1/4 cup more broth or leave out altogether for a slightly thicker soup.
- Use dry sherry or wine because dry spirits contain noticeably less sugar and you don’t want your soup to have more sugar than is already found in the peas, onions and carrots. It would be too sweet.
- You can make this vegetarian or vegan by using vegetable broth and omitting the cooked smoked pork shoulder or ham.
- Have leftover soup? You can either store it in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week, or in the same container in the freezer for 3 months.
- Sometimes I’ll add 3 crushed garlic cloves to this soup but I didn’t have any when I made it.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Split green peas – rinsed and picked over.
- Carrots – cut into chunks.
- Celery stalks – cut into slices.
- Onion – Vidalia or yellow.
- Beef broth – or chicken broth.
- Water
- Dry sherry – this can be omitted but adds such wonderful flavor.
- White wine – dry like sauvignon blanc or Pinot Grigio.
- Ham bone – also optional but also adds flavor.
- Smoked shoulder – or ham hock, or leftover ham.
- Salt – sea salt
- Bay leaves
How to make Instant Pot split pea soup
Step one
Gather the ingredients – split peas, chunked carrots, chopped onion and celery.
Step two
Get out your instant pot or pressure cooker and plug it in. Press the saute button and after one minute, add oil.
Step three
Wait another minute for the oil to heat, then add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
Step four
Add carrots and celery, sauté for 2 minutes.
Step five
Gather the other ingredients – dry sherry, beef broth, and dry white wine
Step six
Add broth, water, split peas, sherry, wine, smoked pork shoulder or diced ham, bay leaves and salt.
Place the lid on the instant pot and seal it, make sure the vent knob is in the sealing position and press soup/broth button – make sure the mode is normal, and set to high pressure. Set the timer to 20 minutes.
Step seven
After the instant pot beeps that it is done cooking, either do a quick release by donning an oven mitt and lightly tap the venting knob to the venting position, or you can just wait 15 – 25 minutes for the pressure to release on its own.
I pour the Instant Pot pea soup into my lovely casserole dish and gather ’round some pita rounds and a salad.
I ladle the split pea soup into my serving bowls. I grind black pepper on my soup but not Christopher’s.
I hope you enjoyed this instant pot split pea soup recipe! It’s thick, delicious and cooks so fast you barely have time to get out your dishes and set the table!
Other comforting meals
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Don't worry, I promise not to spam you.
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (large, chopped in chunks)
- 4 carrots (4 – 6)
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups split peas (rinsed and picked over)
- 1 ham bone (optional)
- 2 cups smoked pork shoulder (or ham, chopped in bite sized pieces)
- 1/8 cup sherry (dry)
- 1/8 cup white wine (dry)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Plug in instant pot and press the sauté button. Once the IP heats up, add olive oil and onions and sauté for 2 minutes.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion
- Add carrots and celery and sauté them for 2 minutes.4 carrots, 2 stalks celery
- Add broth, water, split peas, pork bone if using, smoked pork shoulder, sherry, wine, bay leaves, and salt. Seal IP, making sure that the pressure knob is in the sealed position .4 cups beef broth, 2 cups water, 2 cups split peas, 1 ham bone, 2 cups smoked pork shoulder, 1/8 cup sherry, 1/8 cup white wine, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves
- Press the soup/stew button – it will default to 20 minutes on normal.
- Once the timer beeps, you can either let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, or, if you're in a hurry like me, don an oven mitt and carefully tap the release valve, letting little sprays of steam out. After a minute of tapping, turn the pressure relief from sealed to venting.
- Either transfer the pea soup to a soup tureen or ladle directly into some soup crocks.
- Eat, smile, and enjoy.
Equipment
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Don't worry, I promise not to spam you.
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
Helpful tips
- Sautéing the vegetables adds extra flavor, but it’s optional. If you want to cut calories or save time, skip the oil and add everything to the Instant Pot.
- Beef broth gives the soup a deeper, more robust taste, but chicken broth works well, too.
- The Instant Pot needs 10 to 15 minutes to come to pressure, so build that time into your meal planning.
- If you aren’t using quick release, allow an additional 15 to 25 minutes for natural pressure release.
- When using quick release, wait 5 minutes after cooking, then carefully turn the vent using an oven mitt. Watch out for the steam, as it can burn.
- To make this recipe alcohol-free, substitute the sherry with an extra 1/4 cup of broth or omit it entirely for a slightly thicker soup.
- Choose a dry sherry or dry wine, since sweeter spirits can make the soup overly sweet.
- For a vegetarian or vegan version, use vegetable broth and leave out the smoked pork shoulder or ham.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Sometimes I add three crushed garlic cloves for more depth, but it’s optional.
Nutrition
Originally published in October 2018.
Split pea soup is one of my go-to soups when I eat out. I love this recipe, thanks so much!
Me too Lauren! And this soup is one of my favorites!
Ohhh, the sherry gave such flavor to this soup! And I love smoked shoulder and this was perfect. I’ll make it again…..next week. Hehe.
Thanks so much, Amanda! Smoked shoulder is my favorite.
This hearty split pea soup is exactly the best meal. Everyone loved it, even the kiddos even though they don’t like peas. Shhh. Don’t tell.
Thanks Gabi! I bet he’s going to love it!
Pea soup is my favorite. This came out fabulous.
Thanks so much, Jillian!
My dad absolutely LOVES split pea soup, but he’s also really picky about it. I made your recipe and it got my father’s stamp of approval. He said, “this is perfect.” Thank you.
Thanks, Claire! I’m so pleased he liked it.
Pea soup always reminds me of my mom and childhood. That was my favorite soup. This was wonderful and made me miss my mom. It’s a keeper, Elaine.
Thanks so much Veronika! It reminds me of my mom too!
I tell my husband he sounds like an infomercial all the time! This soup was fabulous and we’ll make it again.
Thanks, Lorie! I appreciate it.
This was so comforting and warming. It was my first time using smoked shoulder in a soup and it has an incredible flavour.
It really does Nicolas! And thank you!
You know, I can’t even remember the last time I had split pea soup and yet it is one of my favorites! Yours was so good!!
Hehe. Thanks Tammy!
Wow, this split pea soup was delicious and so creamy! Just the weeknight meal I was looking for!
Thank you, Sam!
I tend to forget how sweet split pea is! And not in a sugary way, but in a tasty, toothsome veggie way. Smoked shoulder is a nice contrast. What a delicious soup. Thank you!
Thanks Christopher!
Can you use split peasa that have been soaked? Does it change the cook time?
Hi Rita, you probably could use soaked split peas, but one of the beauties of cooking with an instant pot, is that it’s so much faster than if you cook it on the stove. So, you don’t have to soak them. But if you do, I’d still keep the cooking time the same – 20 minutes. I don’t think it will be too much. You’ll have to let me know how it came out! Thank you for your question.
Very tasty, when I opened it up I added 2 cups of frozen peas. I like seeing some whole peas as opposed to the beautiful mush, lol
Great idea, Leigh. I’ve never done that but now I have to! Thanks for your comment and I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Wonderful! I didn’t have sherry so I used Marsala and this is the best split pea soup I have ever made. Thank you so much!
You just made my day, Shelly. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. And thank you for coming back to the blog to let me know!!