Oma’s Pea and Ham Soup
This recipe has always been sort-of famous; but only among my nearest and dearest. However, since I published it in my first cookbook ‘At My Table’, it’s become well-loved by home cooks everywhere. It’s based on my oma’s recipe which has been passed down through the Dutch generations (affectionately known as ‘Oma Soup’ to one and all). It’s nutritious, hearty, packed with flavour, full of natural goodness and absolutely delicious. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does – I know my Oma would be so happy to know you’re making it, too.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3-4 hours
Serves 7-8
Gluten-free (check the stock/stock powder)
Ingredients
Broth
1 smoked bacon hock (choose the biggest one you can find or two small ones if you want it nice and meaty)
1 large onion, chopped
1 fresh bay leaf (or 2 dried)
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 whole peppercorns
4 litres water
Soup
1 x 450g packet (2 cups) split green peas
1 1/4 cup red lentils
2 cups salt-reduced vegetable or chicken stock
1 large leek, outer leaves removed, very thinly sliced
1 whole bunch celery, including leaves, chopped
2 large carrots, grated
2 tsp (or 2 cubes) vegetable stock powder
Tiny pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
Method
If you have time, you can soak the split peas in a bowl of cold water overnight – but it’s not essential. It will just mean they cook a little quicker.
Place the pork hock, onion, bay leaf, chopped carrots, celery, peppercorns and water into a large stock/soup pot. Cover and simmer over a very low heat for 2–3 hours (see slow cooker tip below), or until the meat is falling off the bone. Every now and then, use a large spoon to skim off any awkward foamy stuff from the surface.
Gently remove the pork hock (and any meat that has fallen off) and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve or colander, reserving the liquid and discarding the saggy vegetables etc.
When the pork hock is cool enough to handle, remove the good meat from the bones and tear/cut it into small pieces. Set the meat aside to use and discard the bones, skin etc. (note – dogs shouldn’t eat cooked bones).
Pour the broth back into the rinsed pot, along with the stock. Add the split peas and lentils and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the peas are mushy. Add the meat, leek, celery, grated carrot and stock powder, and cook until the veges are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper if using. Stir through the parsley.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. You will probably need more salt and pepper than you think – it’s a huge pot of soup! It may already be salty because of the hock and the stock, but add more until it tastes right to you.
Serve with lots of crusty buttered toast. I’d love to hear what you think of the recipe – feel free to leave a comment below or on Facebook.
Chelsea’s tips
- If you’d like to make the broth in a slow cooker, leave it on high for 4-5 hours or low for about 8 hours (while you’re at work). Then you can transfer it to the soup pot to finish it off.
- The soup is easily frozen in a sealed container (or in smaller portions) ziplock bag for several months.
Hi Chelsea
Very keen to make your soup
Can you explain ~
Do you put 4L water as in the broth recipe
You say put all the veges in the pot at the beginning and then discard before the next stage
Then you say add the same veges when cooking peas and lentils
Not sure if you need 2 lots of veges.
Many thanks
The first lot of veges are to make a vegetable broth. The soup tastes better with fresh vegetables added x
I make this every year with the Christmas ham. It’s become one of my favourite end of year traditions and coming up to the 8th year running. So comforting.
If I used some leftover Xmas ham instead of a hock how much do you recommend using?
Are the lentils canned or the dry ones?
This recipe calls for dry lentils x
Love the sound of this soup..although for busy mums, can we just throw all into a slowcooker and siv out bones at the end?
I use this recipe with the leftover Christmas ham. This is the fourth year I’ll be making it and it has become a firm favourite amongst family and friends. I guess now it’s a tradition…and a tasty one at that!
Have to comment on the celery. If you’re not a fan, do cut back, it’s a dominant flavour and overpowering the pea. I’d suggest two stalks in the soup if you want a background hint.
I made your soup today and it is the best. It is so wholesome and the flavours come together beautifully. Last weekend I made your white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake and that was fabulous too. I love the way you give instructions. Thank you for sharing your recipes. I have become a fan of yours.
I love this soup! We live on it during winter, and I always have some in the freezer for a quick nutritious meal. Thank you for the great recipe.
I make this, but jam everything into the pot at the beginning. Then once the ham is falling off the hock bone, remove and shred. So easy.
Can I freeze this?Thanks!!
Yes you sure can!
The best soup ever…I have been making it for a couple of years now here in NZ and my daughter regularly takes it for her school lunch. Was back in Scotland for six weeks with my elderly parents and filled their freezer with it before I left…a huge hit there too!
The celery gives an amazing flavour …in fact I now use celery in place of onions (in slow cooker recipes) as it is brilliant.
Thanks Chelsea (and Oma xx)
love erwtensoep , mine is slightly different but it depends on the region in Holland you come from. I also like the ‘rookworst” sliced up in it…shame it’s quite expensive in NZ and super cheap in Holland :(
This was some next level soup!
A doddle to make & absolutely delicious !
Hi Chelsea,
It says 6 whole peppercorns. What does that exactly mean?
Can’t quite figure out if it’s the tiny peppercorns in the shakers or not.
Sorry. New to cooking!
Thanks :)
Yep the little balls from the shaker :)
I was looking for a soup recipe and found Omas one. Really loved it and after reading the other comments about how much celery I put the whole bunch including leaves. This is a soup I will remake over and over. Seems to taste better the next day if that is possible. Thank you for sharing. Anne from New Zealand
Hi Chelsea
I made this last week – super yummy!
I have some left in the fridge but I’m just wondering how long it will keep for in there? I should have frozen some when I first made it, damn!
Thanks :)
Should keep in an airtight container for a good few days.
Hi Chelsea,
Would love to try to make your Oma’s soup today but I don’t have a bay leaf, is it ok to leave it out?
That’s quite alright!
Having cancer surgery this week. Wanted something warm, comforting and delicious. Made your recipe…brings new meaning to comfort food. Yum!
Made this soup the other day and my family raved about!!! I have a 14mth old son and he loves it too!!! Makes a good dinner for him when it has been a busy day and there is nothing else on offer!!! He loves it!!! We all do so thanks a lot!!!
Made it, love it. It’s now called omas soup in our family as well, being dutch/german/kiwi. I was also a bit worried about the amount of celery, but it works. Great with Dutch grilled cheese toasted sandwiches.
Ok so I make this ALOT!! It’s so good and so easy!! My Nans dish I thought was the best ever, lucky she’s not around to find that your recipe is just as good (maybe even better). My partner hates celery but he also loves this soup, he didn’t find out that it had celery in it till after his 2nd bowl. I sometimes make twice as much to put in the freezer as they make great lunches!!
Oh my this recipe is so yummy my husband said it was the best.
I wont get away with my quick and easy one anymore.
Not much of a cook but want to give this a try. Loved my grandmas one she use to make.
Do you need to take the rind of the hock before putting it into the broth for cooking ? Or just discard after ?
Just discard after :)
Mmm, looks like Dutch ‘erwtensoep’! Getting autumn here in Holland so a lovely recipe for this weekend. Thanks!
Can you use a pork hock that hasn’t been smoked or does it need to be a smoked ham hock?
Yes it’s fine to use un-smoked.
I love this soup, so nourishing and tasty and filling. Thank you for sharing it Chelsea :-D
Hi Chelsea
I’m really not a fan of celery, but note there is quite a lot of celery in this soup. Is the taste of celery noticable? Would it be ok to leave it out? Would I need to substitute something else if I did leave it out?
Thank you!
You can’t taste it really, I don’t think.
I dont think the celery taste is noticeable at all. It is a super blend of flavours over all of veges / peas.
My partner says he HATES celery. Well guess what, this is his favourite soup. He has no idea how much celery is in it.
This soup is sensational …if you make one new recipe this winter, make this soup for the family, it is delicious and worth the effort. Yummy and healthy too.
Hi,
Just a quick question please. Is it a whole bunch of celery used? I’ve never used so much but then again I’m not that much of a cook.
Thanx
Deb
Yes, that’s correct!
6 yrs later… ???? I saw just 2 stalks of celery in the recipe above? Not a whole bunch?
There is celery in the stock and the soup ingredients x
I always refrigerate the cooking liquid after the ham hock has been removed and the liquid sieved. That allows the fat to solidify on the top and (some? all?) removed before putting the final soup together, which makes it a healthier option if you’re wanting to reduce fat in your diet.
It’s exactly like mine but I add a sliced up verkerks rook worst just before serving.