Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
This 30-minute Instant Pot split pea soup is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. Made with tender split peas, smoked pork shoulder, and fresh vegetables, you won’t be able to get enough of this hearty, creamy, and flavorful dish!
I love this pea soup so much not only because of how comforting and delicious it is, but I especially like the taste of the smoky flavor of the smoked shoulder.
My sister gave all of her children Instant Pots, pressure cookers for Christmas one year. The following Easter, she hosted the family dinner. A week before the holiday, my nephew Bryan texted to ask if I would give him a ‘lesson’ in the instant pot when we were together. Of course I said yes, as my instant pot and I are on very good terms.
You could say I have smooched its shiny cheek more than once.
During a lull in the festivities, Bryan brought his IP in from the car and I started telling him how it worked and how to use it. I guess the rest of his siblings didn’t realize Bryan had asked me in advance for the demonstration. They thought I loved my IP so much that I would spontaneously start schooling people on all of its glorious attributes.
I was too busy talking to hear, but later Christopher told me that everyone looking on agreed I sounded like an infomercial. The only thing missing was free samples!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you click the link and buy something. 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 split 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!
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
- Add carrots and celery and sauté them for 2 minutes
- 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
- 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 you can be in a hurry like me, don an oven mitt and carefully tap the release valve letting little spirts of steam out. After a minute of tapping, turn the pressure relief from sealed to venting
- Either transfer the instant pot split pea soup in a soup tureen or ladle directly in some soup crocks
- Eat
- Enjoy
Equipment
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to crafting delightful dishes and cocktails, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.
Split pea soup is one of my go-to soups – will have to try this version in the Instant Pot – love that thing!
Me too Lauren! And this soup is one of my favorites!
I have a slow cooker split pea soup using yellow split peas and it’s always a favourite. Though, it really is hard to pick just one soup because I do enjoy them all…and year round. Love how quickly this one comes together in the Instant Pot. And those bowls? They’re so cute!! I’d love a bowl of this for lunch with a big hunk of homemade bread with butter. So hungry right now 😉 P.S. a splash of white vinegar in there along with the pepper is divine!
Thanks Dawn! My mom used to put white vinegar in it too and I totally forgot that! Fun. And thanks on the comment on the bowls. Thrift store specials!! Hehe!
Ohhh, I love sherry in soup! It gives such a nice flavor, and I bet this is delicious. I’m definitely on a soup kick right now, so I can’t wait to give this a try ASAP.
Thanks Amanda! I love soup year round too and I’m always for sherry in soups! 😉
This hearty split pea soup is exactly the meal I’m sure my brother would enjoy, the next time he comes visiting us. Thank you for sharing, will print it to keep it at hand:)
Thanks Gabi! I bet he’s going to love it!
Well I do love a good split pea soup! I haven’t thought about doing it in the Instant Pot, but what a great idea! Just pinned this scrumptious number. Thanks Elaine!
Thank you Traci! 🙂
Soup is my favorite everything and I love all the options you give for this one!
I adore soup too, Jillian! I could eat it every week all year round!
I don’t have an Instant Pot, but I do love pea soup. The perfect comfort food, and a great place to use that leftover ham bone. I do have a pressure cooker, so I will adapt this recipe to work in that… I know it will turn out delicious.
Thanks so much Gloria! Yes, it will work with a pressure cooker!
My dad absolutely LOVES split pea soup, but he’s also really picky about it. He rarely likes the kind they serve in restaurants (too much cornstarch, he says) and struggles to find an accessible recipe he likes. I’m definitely going to have to make this for him next time he comes to visit! I bet he’d love it.
Thanks Claire! I don’t like cornstarch in any of my soups, for sure. I can always taste it and I feel there is no need. I hope you do make it for him and he enjoyes it!
I will save this recipe,looks very delicious.Loved those bowl too.
Thanks so much Prasanna!
Pea soup always reminds me of my mom and childhood) That was my favorite soup) This is a great idea to make it in Instant Pot! Definitely saving this recipe!)
Thanks so much Veronika! It reminds me of my mom too!
I tell my husband he sounds like an infomercial all the time! It’s been 90 the past few days here so I’m sooo excited for 60 degree weather next week so that soup can happen!
Hehe 🙂 Thanks Lorie! I’m looking forward to the cooler weather as well!
Ha! Love the story about your IP “infomercial,” Elaine! If I ever do get around to buying one, I will have to ask you to give me the short tour, as well – no doubt you’ve mastered it when your soups come out looking this amazing!
Thanks so much Monica!
Wow that looks so comforting and warming. I bet that smoked shoulder gives the soup a super deep incredible flavour. I would have that with a crusty loaf of bread any day!
It really does Nicolas! And thank you!
I feel cozy just looking at this! I really need to get myself an instant pot so that I can dive into a bunch of your recipes headfirst.
Hehe, Leslie. Now that I own one, I wonder how I’d gone without one for so many years! 🙂
We’re finally supposed to cool off – and I”m looking forward to soup for lunch. I love to use the pressure cooker for that – I can set it up in the morning and forget it, then go ladle it out at lunch time! I hadn’t tried pea soup, though. I’d heard it would foam up but clearly that’s not a major issue for you – good to know!
It never foamed up, but if I used my mother’s old fashioned pressure cooker, it probably would have. Thanks Anne!
You know, I can’t even remember the last time I had split pea soup and yet it is one of my favorites! Yours looks so good!! Ahh wish I had an instant pot right now 😀
Hehe. Thanks Tammy!
Wow this split pea soup looks delicious and so creamy! Just the weeknight meal I was looking for!
Thank you Sam! It is quite tasty!
Whenver I see a recipe like this I just really, really want to buy an instant pot. Adding it to my Christmas list. This looks delicious.
Thanks so much Emily!!
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!!