Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Chicken Sausage

Name: Split Pea Soup with Chicken Sausage
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground chicken sausage; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion (finely chopped); 1/2 cup diced celery; 1/2 cup diced carrots; 2 cloves garlic (pressed or finely chopped); 2 cans (14 oz each) chicken stock; 2 cups water; 1 package (16 oz) split peas, rinsed and sorted; 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes; 1/2 cup half and half; Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

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Split pea soup is an old familiar flavor that we’ve updated to be Instant Pot quick. Enjoy this twist on a classic, creamy split pea soup made with chicken sausage.

On overhead picture of Instant Pot split pea soup on a black bowl, topped with fresh parsley, chopped onions, red pepper flakes, and some crusty bread, with carrots in the background.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This easy, from-scratch recipe is both tasty and is loaded with healthy veggies.

I really think Split Pea Soup should be served year-round—not just when I have a ham bone on hand.

(However, we do love it with a good ham bone; we have a more traditional Split Pea Soup on page 120 of our Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook.)

Updated for 2025: I developed this easy version made with chicken sausage over a decade ago and recently decided to give it a refresh with new photos and tips.

What to serve with Split Pea Soup? For us, this is mostly a one-pot meal. We often serve it with a nice crusty bread for dunking.

An overhead picture of the ingredients for making split pea soup in your Instant Pot, including, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, butter, garlic, half and half, diced onion, chicken sausage, dried split peas, chicken broth, diced carrots, and diced celery.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

Here’s what you need to make this easy Split Pea Soup recipe in your pressure cooker:

Chicken sausage: I like to use country chicken sausage, not Italian chicken sausage in this recipe. If you can’t find that, ground chicken will work great.
Onion, celery, carrots, garlic: This is a classic flavor base for many soups, and it works great here! If you like, you can also add bell 1/2 cup bell pepper for a more Southern flavor.
Chicken broth: Can use stock or broth. We always use reduced-sodium in our recipes.
Split peas: More on this below.
Red pepper flakes: These aren’t necessary, but this tiny amount adds a great flavor to your soup without adding very much heat.
Half and half: This makes a big difference in the texture and flavor of the soup.
Garnish: Use your favorite flavors for garnish; here, I used chopped onions, chopped fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and additional red pepper flakes.

Adding dried split peas to the Instant Pot for making split pea soup.

Split peas basics

These lovely little dried peas can be found near the lentils and dried beans in the grocery store. They come in green and yellow varieties, but I always use the classic green in this recipe.

For what it’s worth, the green ones are supposed to be sweeter and the yellow ones are supposed to be nuttier. (But I’ve never done a side-by-side comparison…)

It’s really important to rinse your split peas well and sort through them for debris before you use them in a recipe. (Sometimes there can be tiny stones or vines that make it into the bags with the split peas.)

Luckily, split peas don’t require a presoak.

An overhead picture browning the chicken sausage in an Instant Pot for split pea soup, with diced carrots and celery in the background.

How to Make Split Pea Soup in an Instant Pot

✅ This easy recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.

Start by browning the sausage using the Saute setting. Since we’re not pressure cooking the sausage (to allow us to easily puree the soup later), make sure to cook the sausage all the way through. When browned, set the cooked sausage on a plate and set aside.

Next, melt the butter to saute the veggies, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, water, split peas, and red pepper flakes, then set the cook time for 10 minutes at High Pressure.

Use a 10 minute natural release, then quick release any remaining pressure.

An overhead picture of Instant Pot split pea soup on a black bowl, topped with fresh parsley, chopped onions, red pepper flakes, and some crusty bread in the background.

If you want your split pea soup to have some texture, remove about a third of the soup to another bowl, then puree the rest with an immersion blender. Then return the contents of the other bowl to the main cooking pot.

(And, if you’re a traditionalist, just blend the entire thing.)

Select Saute, then stir in the cooked sausage and the half and half. Allow the soup to warm through, but do not boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Close up picture of Instant Pot split pea soup on a black bowl, topped with fresh parsley, chopped onions, red pepper flakes, and some crusty bread, and a spoon taking a bite.

Frequently Asked Questions about Split Pea Soup

Can I use any kind of sausage?

Yes, you can use any sausage that you enjoy, but you’ll want to be sure there are no casings.

What to use in place of an immersion blender?

An immersion blender works really well with pressure cooker soups. However, no worries if you don’t have one. Next choice would be a traditional blender to make it smooth and creamy. A food processor could work, but it won’t get as smooth as in a blender.

Don’t try to use a hand mixer, though, since it’s not sharp enough to cut the peas.

How to store leftovers?

Store the soup in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. However, this is a great soup to make a double batch and freeze leftovers for later. I like to freeze them in 1 cup portions.
To reheat, use the pot-in-pot method. Place 1 cup of water and a trivet in the pressure cooker pot. Place the frozen soup in a cake pan on the trivet and select High Pressure and a 10-minute cook time.
When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes then finish with a quick pressure release. Carefully remove the lid and enjoy your warm soup!

MORE Veggie-Filled Soup Recipes

For more amazing Instant Pot Soup recipes that are packed with veggies, try

Fresh Garden Minestrone
Butternut Squash Soup with Chicken and Orzo
Portobello Mushroom and Barley
Instant Pot Fajita Chicken and Rice Soup from 365 Days of Slow & Pressure Cooking features grains, chicken, and plenty of veggies.

Do you LOVE this recipe?
Leave us a review below to tell us why!

Instant Pot split pea soup on a black bowl, topped with fresh parsley, chopped onions, red pepper flakes, and some crusty bread in the background.

Split Pea Soup with Chicken Sausage

Servings: – 8 servings

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Additional Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Course: Soup

This split pea soup is made with dried split peas and chicken sausage, plus some simple spices, to make a hearty, deeply satisfying meal.

3 from 1 vote

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Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken sausage
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic pressed or finely chopped
2 cans (14 oz each) chicken stock
2 cups water
1 package (16 oz) split peas, rinsed and sorted
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/2 cup half and half
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Select sauté to preheat the cooking pot. When hot, add the sausage in the pressure cooking pot. When the sausage is fully cooked and crumbled, about 5 minutes, remove to a plate. Set aside.
Melt the butter in the cooking pot. Sauté onions, celery, and carrots until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add the chicken stock, water, split peas, and red pepper flakes.
Select High Pressure and 10 minutes cook time. When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release.
When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid. If you want a bit of texture to your soup, remove about ⅓ of the mixture before you puree. If you want the soup to be smooth, puree the soup until very smooth. (I used my immersion blender and pureed it in the pressure cooking pot.)
Select Saute and add the sausage. Pour in the half and half and heat until the sausage is hot, but do not bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with additional red pepper flakes, parsley, and a dollop of half and half, if desired.

Notes

Recipe inspired by Kalyn’s Split Pea Soup with Chicken Sausage and Carrots.

Nutrition

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