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Home / American Recipes

Yellow Split Pea and Bacon Soup

A wonderful flavourful traditional soup.

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

03/25/2025
4.99 from 104 votes
Jump to Recipe Video
Serves: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 1 hour hr
A bowl of completed yellow split pea and bacon soup and two photos of the soup while cooking.

A bowl of soup, with Bacon and vegetables in it

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This recipe for Yellow Split Pea and Bacon Soup is full of flavor and an easy alternative to traditional split pea and ham soup.A bowl of Yellow Split Pea and Bacon Soup with a ladle in the background

Split Pea Soup That’s Easy and Delicious!

Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of thick hearty soup?  There’s something so wonderful about it that takes you right back to childhood.

My grandmother always made split pea soup using leftover ham bones (you can see my recipe for split peas and ham soup if that’s what you’re looking for) after a big family gathering.

I absolutely LOVED her soup, but let’s face it, sometimes we don’t have ham bones to work with.

I created this recipe which is a lot easier to prepare but doesn’t scrimp on flavor.

hearty comfort food. It’s packed with flavor and fills you up so this soup is an all-around win!

It’s so good that if you do make the classic split pea soup, you might just find yourself converting to this easier recipe!

How to Make Yellow Split Pea and Bacon Soup

In a large stockpot on medium-high heat, dry fry the bacon until golden brown (you can add a bit of oil if it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.Chopped bacon cooking in a pan Add the onions and garlic to the pan and with the garlic until the onions are translucent, 5-10 minutes.Onions and garlic cooking with the bacon

Add the carrots, celery.carrots and celery added to the pan

Followed by the stock and split peas.the peas and stock added to the pan

Add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and bay leaf.seasoning added to the soup in the pan Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered (Skimming off any foam that forms foam while cooking) for 1 – 2 hours or until the peas start to break down. Check often and stir frequently to keep the soup from burning on the bottom.the yellow Split Pea and Bacon Soup cooked in the pan If need be, thin out the soup with more stock before serving.Yellow Split Pea and Bacon Soup in a white bowl with a ladle in the background

Serve and enjoy!

Cook’s Tips For Perfect Split Pea Soup:

  • Leave a little fat on your bacon.  It adds loads of flavor!
  • On dry frying bacon – some lean bacon doesn’t brown well when dry frying.  If it needs some help, just add a little oil. 
  • Have some extra stock on hand.  Split pea soup thickens a lot and may need some thinning out.
  • For extra pork flavor, make some stock using ham hocks and replace the chicken stock with ham stock.
  • For an extra smokey flavor, use smoked bacon.
  • Can’t find Yellow Split Peas? Green work just as well.
  • Careful salting – Some bacon can be quite salty so you may want to wait to season the soup and taste at the end.

Top Tip:

  • Over seasoned your soup? All is not lost.  Acid neutralizes the salt.  Add a teaspoon of white vinegar at a time and taste in between.  You won’t taste the vinegar, but you’ll save the soup!

Other Soup Recipes You’ll Love

  • Split Pea and Ham Soup
  • Creamy Celery Soup
  • Pasta Fagioli
  • Potato Leek Soup
  • Homemade Lentil Soup

A bowl of soup, with Bacon and vegetables in it

Recipe

Yellow Split Pea and Bacon Soup

A wonderful flavourful traditional soup.
4.99 from 104 votes
Print
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Serves 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Thick sliced bacon or pancetta (chopped)
  • 1 large yellow onions (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing)
  • 3 carrots (diced)
  • 3 Celery Stalks (diced)
  • 1 pound dried split yellow peas
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot on medium-high heat, dry fry the bacon until golden brown (you can add a bit of oil if it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • If needed, add one-two tablespoons of olive oil, add the onions to the pan and with the garlic until the onions are translucent, 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the carrots, celery, split peas, chicken stock, smoked paprika, and bay leaf.
  • Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered (Skimming off any foam that forms foam while cooking) for 1 – 2 hours or until the peas start to break down. Check often and stir frequently to keep the soup from burning on the bottom.
  • Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Tips

Top Tips:
  • Leave a little fat on your bacon.  It adds loads of flavor!
  • On dry frying bacon – some lean bacon doesn’t brown well when dry frying.  If it needs some help, just add a little oil. 
  • Have some extra stock on hand.  Split pea soup thickens a lot and may need some thinning out.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 597 | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 757mg | Potassium: 1336mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 5485IU | Vitamin C: 6.1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 4.4mg
Created by Erren Hart
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2014, but was updated in March of 2019 with slight changes to the recipe as well as new photos, nutritional information, tips, and a video.

4.99 from 104 votes (58 ratings without comment)

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145 responses

  1. Lorraine Jackson Avatar
    Lorraine Jackson
    12/02/2021

    I made this and it was soooo good. Really tasty on a winters night.

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      12/03/2021

      I’m so pleased you liked it Lorraine, it really is comfort food isn’t it?

      Reply
  2. Tricia Zzz Avatar
    Tricia Zzz
    11/23/2021

    This turned out very well. We made it vegan by substituting a large chopped shiitake mushroom for the bacon and vegetable stock for the chicken broth. Saving this recipe for sure!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      11/24/2021

      I’m so glad you liked it, and that your substitutions worked so well 🙂

      Reply
  3. Van Silver Avatar
    Van Silver
    11/09/2021

    I made this recipe today and it was perfect!!!!! Really really really good!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      11/10/2021

      I’m so glad you like it Van 🙂

      Reply
  4. Layne Avatar
    Layne
    10/09/2021

    This was such a great dish! I was in the mood for a filling soup and this was perfect. I added a bit more seasoning (cayenne, thyme, sage, turmeric, rosemary, extra smoked paprika) and used 4 cups water and 4 cups chicken broth as I didn’t have enough chicken broth on hand, but of course everyone can adjust it to how they like. I’ll definitely make this again in the future.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      10/10/2021

      I’m so glad you liked it Layne, it is a very adaptable soup and your changes sound delicious! 🙂

      Reply
  5. LKG Avatar
    LKG
    04/29/2021

    We are a group home of veterans, (Marine, Navy and Army) plus two wives. We loved this easy recipe. Tried it just for ourselves. Saturday we’ll make it for a Shelter of 25 men. I am sure they will like it too. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      04/30/2021

      Wow, that’s amazing, I really hope they enjoy it 🙂

      Reply
    2. Gayle Davis Avatar
      Gayle Davis
      08/01/2021

      Thank you for your service. 22 years Army. This is a great recipe for large groups. You can expand the ingredients until it is totally the flavor is what you desire. I like to add ham if I have some one hand. Add a tad of horseradish for an extra kick of spice and flavor. I like to add pork stock to thin this, never can go wrong.

      Reply
      1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
        Erren’s Kitchen
        08/02/2021

        Fantastic! I’m so glad you like the recipe and I love the idea of horseradish 🙂

  6. Jean Avatar
    Jean
    03/24/2021

    Thanks for this recipe that makes a thick and hearty soup. The peas and vegetables were cooked to perfection after only 30 minutes of simmering rather than 1-2 hours.

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      03/24/2021

      Hi Jean, Some peas take forever to cook and some are quicker. It depends on the brand. I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!

      Reply
  7. Beata Prus Avatar
    Beata Prus
    03/07/2021

    Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe. The soup has such a rich, full taste and the step by step explanation makes it super easy to make. I would like to ask about the nutrition information – is it for one serving? Or for the whole recipe?

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      03/08/2021

      Hi Beata, it is worked out automatically on the recipe card so it is per serving, I hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
  8. Karen Avatar
    Karen
    02/12/2021

    This is the first time I’ve tried yellow split peas. The recipe is easy to follow and very flavorful. I think I over salted, but the soup was still very good, I will definitely make this again.

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      02/13/2021

      I’m so glad you liked it Karen, thank you 🙂

      Reply
  9. ALICE Avatar
    ALICE
    02/02/2021

    Is the bacon smoked

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      02/02/2021

      Hi Alice, you can use smoked or unsmoked, it’s really down to what you prefer. I hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
  10. Roxie MCKELVEY Avatar
    Roxie MCKELVEY
    01/31/2021

    This was so delicious! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      02/01/2021

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it Roxie 🙂

      Reply
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