There are few things more comforting than a proper pea and ham soup.
This version uses a smoked pork hock, green split peas, vegetables, and a little Spice Lab Italian Classic to build a rich, savoury soup with very little fuss. The smoked hock gives depth, the split peas naturally thicken the base, and the vegetables add sweetness and body.
Traditionally, this sort of soup would simmer away for hours, but using the Ninja 11-in-1 pressure cooker mode makes it much more achievable for the home cook. Once cooked, the pork is removed, the soup base is blended smooth, and the tender smoked meat is folded back through.
The result is thick, hearty, deeply comforting, and full of slow-cooked flavour — proof that good cooking does not need to be complicated. It just needs the right method.
Recipe: Smoked Pork Hock & Split Green Pea Soup
Cooking Method: Ninja 11-in-1 Pressure Cooker Mode
Serves: 6–8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes pressure cooking, plus pressure release and finishing time
Skill Focus: Pressure cooking, building flavour, soup texture, seasoning balance
Best For: Cooler weather, batch cooking, freezer meals, easy lunches
Chef’s note: The smoked pork hock should provide plenty of seasoning, so do not add salt at the beginning. Taste at the end and adjust only if required.
Place the split peas into a colander and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
Chef’s Tip:
Rinsing the split peas well means you do not need to soak them overnight. It removes excess starch and helps give you a cleaner, smoother soup.
Place the smoked pork hock into the Ninja bowl.
Add the rinsed split peas, chopped onion, carrots, celery, Spice Lab Italian Classic, and water.
Season with a little Melange of Peppercorn, but do not add salt at this stage.
Secure the pressure cooking lid and set the Ninja to Pressure Cook mode.
Cook for 45 minutes.
Allow the pressure to release safely according to your machine’s instructions before opening the lid.
Carefully remove the pork hock from the soup and place it onto a tray or board.
Remove and discard the skin and bones.
Shred or slice the pork meat into strips.
Using a stick blender, puree the soup base in the Ninja bowl until smooth.
Take care when blending hot soup. Keep the blender head fully submerged to avoid splashing.
Return the shredded smoked pork to the soup and stir through.
Check the consistency.
If the soup is too thick, add a little extra water until it reaches the texture you like.
If the soup is too thin, use Sauté mode and cook gently until it thickens.
Taste the soup before adding any salt.
The pork hock is smoked and seasoned, so you may find it does not need any extra salt at all.
Serve hot, with extra cracked pepper if desired.
No Ninja? No problem.
This soup can also be made in a large heavy-based pot on the stovetop.
Place the smoked pork hock, rinsed split peas, onion, carrots, celery, Spice Lab Italian Classic, pepper, and water into a large pot.
Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook gently for 3–4 hours, or until the pork hock is tender and the split peas and vegetables have completely softened.
Remove the pork hock, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat.
Blend the soup base with a stick blender until smooth, then return the pork to the pot.
If you do not have a stick blender, pass the soup through a fine sieve to create a smooth consistency.
Adjust the thickness with extra water if needed, or simmer a little longer if it needs to reduce.
Taste and season only at the end.
Smoked pork hock brings a lot of savoury seasoning to the pot. Adding salt at the beginning can make the final soup too salty once it reduces and concentrates.
Taste first. Season last.
This is one of those simple steps that makes a big difference. Rinsing until the water runs clear helps remove excess starch and means you do not need to soak the peas overnight.
Some people like pea and ham soup thick enough to stand a spoon in. Others prefer it a little looser.
That is why we adjust at the end. Add water if it is too thick, or continue cooking if it is too thin.
This is the beauty of pressure cooking. You are still using a smoked hock, vegetables, peas, and time-tested flavour building — the Ninja simply helps speed up the tenderising process.
This recipe is a great introduction to why pressure cooking is so useful in the home kitchen.
A pork hock is a tougher cut that needs time to become tender. On the stovetop, that can take several hours. In the Ninja, pressure cooking helps break down the connective tissue much faster, while still giving you that rich, slow-cooked result.
It is not about taking shortcuts that reduce quality.
It is about using the right tool to get a proper result more efficiently.
Serve this soup with:
This is also a great batch-cooking recipe. It reheats beautifully and can be portioned for easy lunches.
This soup will thicken as it cools because of the split peas.
When reheating, add a splash of water and stir gently until it loosens back to the consistency you want.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in portions for later.
Back in the 1970s, pea and ham soup was often served with sippets — small diced pieces of bread cooked until crisp and scattered over the top of the soup.
They add crunch, texture, and a lovely old-school touch. They are also a great way to use up stale leftover bread.
Cut the bread into small even dice.
Cook until crisp and golden using one of the following methods:
Oven-baked:
Toss lightly with oil or melted butter and bake at 180°C until golden and crisp.
Pan-fried:
Cook in a frying pan with a little oil, butter, or dripping, tossing regularly until crisp.
Deep-fried:
Fry until golden, then drain well on paper towel.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, spoon the crispy sippets over the top, and finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
Add the sippets just before serving so they stay crisp. They give the soup that wonderful contrast — smooth, smoky, thick soup underneath, crunchy golden bread on top.
Pea and ham soup is one of those dishes that never really goes out of style.
It is humble, filling, economical, and full of flavour. The key is not overcomplicating it — rinse the peas, let the smoked hock do the heavy lifting, and adjust your seasoning at the end.
With the Ninja pressure cooker, this old-school classic becomes much easier to bring back into the weekly kitchen.