Pea and ham soup
A warm soup made with peas, ham and vegetables.
Allergens: contains milk. Brands differ, so always check the labels on what you buy.
Per serving (approx.): 15g carbs · 2g sugars · 3g fibre. Estimates for carb counting, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, follow your GP or dietitian's advice.
Not every ingredient has a checked price at Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Iceland, so they aren't compared here yet (more are checked every day). Lidl doesn't publish prices online, so it can't be compared.
Ingredients and prices
Swipe the table to see every supermarket.
| Ingredient | Sainsbury's | Morrisons |
|---|---|---|
| Peasuse 300g | £0.43300g · £0.14 per 100g | £1.651kg · £0.17 per 100g |
| Cooked hamuse 200g | 2 × £2.00120g · £1.67 per 100g | 2 × £2.00120g · £1.67 per 100g |
| Carrotspack 500g · use 2 carrots | £0.44 | £0.44£0.09 per 100g |
| Onionpack 1kg · use 1 onion | £0.95£0.10 per 100g | £0.95£0.10 per 100g |
| Celery sticksuse 2 sticks | £0.90250g · £0.36 per 100g | £0.90250g · £0.36 per 100g |
| Basket total (full packs) | £6.72 | £7.94 |
| Cost of what this recipe uses | £4.34 | £4.43 |
| Per serving | £1.08 | £1.11 |
From your cupboard
Not in the prices above. Check you have these before you start.
Prices checked on 5 October 2026 from each supermarket's own listing or a price-comparison site. Each shop's unit price (or pack size) is shown under its price, and "cost of what this recipe uses" compares like with like (tap a price to see its source). Cheapest in each row is ticked. Prices, offers and pack sizes change; loyalty-card prices are not included unless stated.
Method
The method is written for 4. For a different number, use the amounts in the table above.
- Weigh out 300 g frozen peas and set aside. Dice 200 g cooked ham into 1 cm cubes. Peel two carrots and cut them into ½ cm dice. Roughly chop one onion and slice two celery sticks into ½ cm pieces. Keep everything on a clean board.
- Place a medium‑sized (≈1.2 L) saucepan on the hob over medium heat and add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, tip in the chopped onion and celery, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft, translucent and fragrant, but not browned.
- Add the diced carrots to the pan and continue to stir for a further 3 minutes, allowing them to soften slightly. The carrots should turn a brighter orange and the mixture should still be moist but not sticking to the base.
- Stir in the cubed ham and the 300 g peas, then pour in 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock (or water if you prefer). Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a rolling boil; you’ll see bubbles breaking the surface within 2–3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid and let the soup simmer gently for 15 minutes. Check the peas and carrots – they should be tender when pierced with a fork and the peas will have turned a vivid green.
- Using an immersion blender, purée about two‑thirds of the soup directly in the pan; this creates a smooth base while leaving some peas whole for texture. Blend until the mixture is uniformly creamy, then return the pan to the hob on low heat.
- Season the soup with ½ tsp salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. If you like a richer mouthfeel, swirl in a splash of double cream at this stage; the soup should be steaming hot throughout.
- Ladle the pea and ham soup into warmed bowls, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately with crusty bread on the side. The soup should look bright green, creamy and speckled with ham cubes.
Tips
- Swap frozen peas for fresh peas for a sweeter flavour; if using fresh, blanch them for 2 minutes before adding.
- Batch‑cook: double the recipe, cool to room temperature within 1 hour, portion into airtight containers and freeze; defrost in the fridge 24 hours before reheating.
- Reheat gently on the hob over low heat, stirring, until steaming hot; do not microwave more than once and eat refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours.
Nothing wasted: your leftover ingredients
Supermarkets sell set pack sizes, so you'll have some ingredients left. Here's how to keep them, and other recipes here that use them up.
- Peas · about 200g left
Keep the rest frozen: just reseal the bag. Use it in: Egg fried rice, Pad Thai with Chicken, Golden Syrup Flapjack Bars. - Cooked ham · about 200g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. - Carrots · about 340g left
Keep in the fridge salad drawer for up to 2-3 weeks, or slice and freeze. Great grated into bolognese, chilli or soup. Use it in: Lentil and vegetable soup, Creamy Tomato & Hidden Veg Pasta Bake, One-pan chicken, potatoes and veg. - Onion · about 850g left
Chop the rest and freeze it flat in a bag: it cooks straight from frozen in soups, curries and sauces. Whole onions keep for weeks somewhere cool, dark and dry. Use it in: Chilli con carne, Egg fried rice, Creamy Tomato & Hidden Veg Pasta Bake. - Celery sticks · about 420g left
Keep in the fridge and use within a few days, or slice and freeze for stir-fries, curries and soups. Use it in: Lentil and vegetable soup, Beef and Ale Pie, Kedgeree.
Storing leftovers
Cool leftovers and put them in the fridge or freezer within 1–2 hours. Eat fridge leftovers within 2 days, or freeze them. Defrost in the fridge and reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through (Food Standards Agency guidance).