Swedish Pea Soup with Ham: A Cozy Yellow Pea Classic

Swedish pea soup with ham, known as ärtsoppa, is a thick, savory soup of dried yellow peas, pork, onion, and warming herbs. It is traditionally served hot with mustard, and the peas simmer until they soften and give the broth a creamy body without needing to be blended.

Ingredients

1 pound (454 g) dried whole or split yellow peas
1 smoked, uncooked ham hock, about 1 1/2 pounds (680 g)
8 cups (1.9 L) cold water, plus more as needed
1 large yellow onion, about 7 ounces (200 g), peeled and finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
Fine salt, as needed after cooking
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Swedish brown mustard, or Dijon or whole-grain mustard, for serving

Instructions

Sort and rinse the peas. Spread the dried peas on a plate or tray and pick out any small stones or damaged peas. Rinse them in a sieve under cool running water. No soaking is required for this recipe. Finely chop the onion while the peas drain.
Start the soup. Put the peas, ham hock, water, onion, bay leaves, marjoram, thyme, and black pepper in a large, heavy pot. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any gray foam that gathers on top. Lower the heat until the soup holds a gentle simmer, then partially cover the pot.
Simmer until tender. Cook for 1 hour 50 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes and scraping the bottom of the pot so the peas do not stick. Keep the simmer gentle rather than letting the soup boil hard; add a little hot water if the peas rise above the liquid or the soup becomes too thick before they soften. The peas should be tender and beginning to break down, and the hock should be easy to pierce with a fork.
Check the pork and rest it. Check the thickest meaty part of the ham hock with a food thermometer, avoiding the bone. The USDA FSIS safe minimum for whole cuts of pork is 145°F (63°C), followed by a 3-minute rest. Once it reaches that temperature, lift the hock onto a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before handling. If it has not reached the safe minimum, return it to the simmer and check again after 10 minutes.
Shred the meat. Remove the bay leaves. When the hock is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bone, discard the bone, skin, and any tough pieces of connective tissue, and shred the meat into bite-size pieces. This should take about 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pot.
Finish and season. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste before adding salt because smoked hocks vary considerably in saltiness. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in hot water a little at a time. For a smoother texture, mash some peas against the side of the pot with a spoon; blending is not necessary.
Serve hot. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and offer mustard at the table. Each person can stir in a small spoonful, or add mustard on the side. The soup thickens as it stands, so loosen any portion that needs it with a splash of hot water.

Tips

Check the package before buying peas. Whole yellow peas may take longer to soften than split peas, and older dried peas can need extra simmering. If the peas are still firm after the stated cooking time, keep the pot at a gentle simmer and check every 10 to 15 minutes, adding water as needed. The soup is ready when the peas crush easily with a spoon.
Use a gentle simmer and stir the bottom. As the peas break down, they settle and can scorch if the heat is too high. A heavy-bottomed pot helps, but it does not replace occasional stirring. If the soup starts catching, lower the heat and transfer the unscorched soup to a clean pot rather than scraping up the burned layer.
Season only after tasting. Cured and smoked hocks can bring plenty of salt to the pot. Wait until the meat is shredded and returned to the soup before deciding whether it needs salt. A little black pepper or a spoonful of mustard can brighten a bowl without making the whole batch saltier.
Choose a useful substitute if hocks are unavailable. Use 12 ounces (340 g) of chopped, fully cooked smoked ham and replace the water with 8 cups (1.9 L) of low-sodium chicken broth or water. Simmer the peas and onion without the ham, then stir in the ham for the final 20 minutes. The soup will have less richness and depth than one cooked with a bone-in hock, so taste before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup in deep bowls with Swedish brown mustard at the table. Swedish mustard is often mildly sweet and gently sharp; Dijon gives a more pronounced tang, while whole-grain mustard adds texture. Start with about 1 teaspoon per bowl, taste, and add more if you like a stronger mustard note. Mustard is a finishing condiment rather than an ingredient that must be cooked into the pot, so diners can adjust each serving.

Rye bread, crispbread, or a simple slice of dark bread makes a practical accompaniment for a filling bowl. A small dish of pickled beets or cucumber provides a tart contrast to the soft peas and smoky pork. In Sweden, pea soup is commonly associated with Thursday meals and may be followed by thin pancakes with jam; the custom is a serving tradition, not a requirement for making the soup. For a weeknight dinner, bread and a crisp salad are plenty.

Variations

Use cooked ham instead of a hock: Follow the substitution in the tips and add the ham near the end. A ham bone, if available, can simmer with the peas for extra savory flavor; remove it before serving. Avoid adding salty broth or extra salt until you have tasted the finished soup.

Adjust the herbs: Marjoram is a familiar seasoning for Swedish pea soup, and thyme works well alongside it. If you cannot find marjoram, use an equal amount of dried oregano for a slightly more assertive, less traditional herbal flavor. A small pinch of ground allspice is another variation found in some versions, but it is optional; use no more than 1/8 teaspoon (0.3 g) so it does not dominate the peas.

Make a meatless pot: Leave out the hock and use vegetable broth or water. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of neutral oil with the onion, and season gradually with salt. The result will be lighter and will not have the same smoky depth. A little smoked paprika can add a smoky note, though it changes the flavor and is not a direct replacement for pork.

Change the texture: For a rustic soup, leave the peas mostly whole and stir carefully. For a thicker, more uniform bowl, mash a cup of the cooked peas and stir them back in. You can use an immersion blender briefly, but blend only part of the soup if you want to retain pieces of ham and peas.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the soup and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It will become noticeably thicker as the peas absorb liquid, so stir in water or broth before reheating. For longer storage, freeze cooled soup in meal-size containers for up to 3 months; leave a little room at the top because liquid expands as it freezes. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or warm it from frozen over low heat with a splash of water.

Reheat only the amount you plan to serve, stirring frequently on the stovetop until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS temperature for reheated leftovers. In a microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl, cover it loosely, and pause to stir so the center heats evenly; check the temperature in more than one spot. Do not leave soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and refrigerate any reheated portion promptly rather than repeatedly warming the whole batch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to soak yellow peas before cooking?

No. Rinsing and sorting the peas is enough for this recipe, though soaking can shorten the simmer in some recipes. If you do soak them, keep them refrigerated while they soak, drain and rinse them, and expect the soup to cook faster; begin checking for tenderness earlier. The time in the recipe is for peas that have not been soaked.

Can I make Swedish pea soup with split peas?

Yes. Split yellow peas work well and often soften more quickly than whole peas, producing a thicker, creamier soup. Begin checking them before the full simmer time is up, and add hot water if they break down before the hock is tender. Whole yellow peas can hold their shape a little longer, but either kind makes a good pot of soup.

Why is my pea soup too thick?

Yellow peas continue to absorb liquid as they cook and as the soup cools, so thickening is normal. Stir in hot water or broth a few tablespoons at a time until the soup reaches the consistency you want. If it is thick only after refrigeration, loosen it while reheating rather than adding liquid to the entire stored batch.

Can I make this soup in advance?

Yes. The flavor settles as the soup rests, and it reheats well. Cook it, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. Keep extra liquid handy because the peas will thicken the soup overnight. Reheat each portion to 165°F (74°C), stirring so it warms evenly.

What if I cannot find Swedish mustard?

Dijon mustard or whole-grain mustard is an easy substitute, served at the table rather than mixed into the pot. Dijon tastes sharper and less sweet, while whole-grain mustard has a coarser texture. If you have only a particularly strong mustard, begin with a small amount per bowl and add more to taste.

Can I cook the soup in a slow cooker?

It is possible, but dried peas soften at different rates in slow cookers, and the ham hock still needs to reach the pork safe minimum temperature. Use a model that can maintain a steady cooking temperature, keep the ingredients covered with liquid, and check the peas and hock rather than relying only on a fixed time. The stovetop method is easier to monitor and lets you adjust the consistency as the peas cook.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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