Green Pea and Ham Soup (with Extra Greens)

You will love this healthy twist on the classic pea and ham soup, quicker to make but still just as tasty. Full of extra greens to make use of what you have in the pantry and add in some more green goodness. Paleo & Whole30 Friendly.

Green Pea and Ham soup makes the perfect cosy meal when you feel like a big bowl of comforting food. Served piping hot with crusty bread it is delicious and satisfying on a chilly evening.

Unlike the traditional pea and ham soup, this one uses frozen peas (or fresh if you have them) as they really bump up the flavour and help give the soup a lovely vibrant green colour. An extra bonus is that the soup doesn't take as long to prepare.

I have added a whole head of broccoli (florets and stalks) to this soup. The stalks are nutritious and tasty so there really is no need to throw them away. We are all trying to be more mindful of waste in current times so the stalks are put to good use in this soup giving it extra flavour and help thicken it up nicely.

Additional Recipe Tips

• The blended veggies create a wonderfully creamy and thick texture so there are no thickeners needed in this recipe.
• I always freeze broccoli and /or cauliflower stalks to keep for soups. I take them out as needed and place in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes. Once they are soft enough to chop up, drain the water, cut them up and add into to any soup.
• You can use fresh or frozen peas in this soup, I usually use frozen peas.
• This soup works well with either diced cooked ham off the bone or bacon. I use bacon more often than I use ham. I like to purchase thick quality bacon pieces from the local butcher. Remove most of the fat off the bacon before adding into the soup.
• If you are following a strict Whole30 diet at the moment then look for bacon that hasn’t been sweetened with sugar or honey and has no preservatives that are not Whole30 approved. If you live in New Zealand you can find some Whole30 or Paleo friendly bacon at local butchers.
• If you are looking for a meat-free version you can of course make this soup without the ham or bacon. It makes a super delicious, healthy soup either way!
• You can use either vegetable or chicken stock for this recipe.

For other healthy soup recipes you might like to try:

Vietnamese Chicken Pho (Chicken Noodle Soup)

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato and Lentil Soup

Nutritious Chicken and Vegetable Miso Soup

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

For more tasty recipes and to see what I’ve been getting up to you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter.

Have a lovely week!

Hope

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Green Pea and Ham Soup (with Extra Greens)

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This is a healthy twist on the classic pea and ham soup, quicker to make but still just as tasty. Full of extra greens to make use of what you have in the pantry and add in some more green goodness. Paleo & Whole30 friendly.

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Ingredients

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 broccoli, medium size
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 500g/16 oz peas (fresh or frozen)
• 2 Tbs lemon juice
• 200g /7oz ham or bacon
• 2 Tbs parsley to garnish *optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil on a medium heat, then gently saute the diced onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes until translucent.
2. Chop the broccoli into pieces including the broccoli stalks. Add into the pan and saute for another minute or so, stirring until softened.
3. Add the frozen peas and then the stock and stir.
4. Bring to the boil then on reduce to a medium heat and cook for 20 minutes, the vegetables should be soft.
5. Add the lemon juice. Blend the soup using an immersion stick blender or pour into an external blender and then put back in the pan. Blend until the soup is thick and smooth, or to the consistency you desire.
6. Add the ham or bacon pieces, stir and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes on a medium heat until they are cooked through. If using bacon it should no longer be translucent.
7. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with freshly topped parsley or other greens.

Notes

• This soup will make 4-6 servings. The nutritional calculations are based on 4 servings.

• You can use fresh or frozen peas in this soup, I usually use frozen peas.
• This soup works well with either diced cooked ham off the bone or bacon. I use bacon more often than I use ham. I like to purchase thick quality bacon pieces from the local butcher. Remove most of the fat off the bacon before adding into the soup.
• Please read additional notes in blog post for more information.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 363Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 48mgSodium 1077mgCarbohydrates 36gNet Carbohydrates 27gFiber 9gSugar 14gProtein 28g

This nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy to readers. It was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed in the recipe card. Please feel free to use your preferred nutrition calculator. Please consult your doctor about any specific dietary requirements.