Nordic Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Hernekeitto
Finland's beloved Thursday pea soup — yellow split peas simmered with smoky ham until thick and hearty, traditionally served with a shot of Finnish mustard and pancakes.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Rinse the split peas and soak them in cold water for at least 4 hours, or overnight, then drain.
- 2
Place the peas, ham hock, and water in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- 3
Skim off the foam that rises to the surface during the first 10 minutes of boiling, this keeps the soup clear-tasting.
- 4
Add the onion and bay leaf, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the peas have broken down into a thick puree.
- 5
Remove the ham hock, pull the meat from the bone, shred it, and discard the skin, fat, and bone.
- 6
Stir the shredded meat back into the soup and season with marjoram, salt, and white pepper.
- 7
Ladle into bowls and serve hot with a small dollop of sharp Finnish mustard stirred in at the table, traditionally on a Thursday.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
69/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving235
Calories
24 g
Protein
9 g
Carbs
11 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Hernekeitto — Finnish yellow pea soup — is one of the oldest and most ritually observed dishes in Finnish culinary tradition. It has been eaten every Thursday for centuries: historically, Thursday was fasting-adjacent (Friday was the strict fast day), and pea soup with pork was a filling, economical meal that could feed a household through a cold Nordic winter. The Thursday soup tradition is so deeply embedded that school canteens, the Finnish military, and restaurants across Finland still serve hernekeitto every Thursday, often followed by sweet pancakes with lingonberry jam. The marjoram that seasons it is the distinctive Finnish touch.
Listahan note
This version uses a smoked ham hock to build an intensely flavored broth, simmered until the peas are completely smooth without needing a blender.
Technique cues
- Split yellow peas thicken and dissolve into a smooth, thick soup without blending — the key is a long, steady simmer (90 minutes to 2 hours) with no stirring after the first half-hour, allowing the peas to fully break down at their own pace.
- The smoked ham hock seasons the broth continuously as it simmers, so taste before adding any additional salt — smoked pork can contribute enough sodium that the soup needs very little added.
- Marjoram is non-negotiable in hernekeitto: dried marjoram added in the last 10 minutes (not at the start) gives a bright herbal note that lifts the earthy, smoky soup without cooking off into the background.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Finely chop the onion while rinsing the split peas; both go into the pot together at the start, so no timing gap is needed.
- Make-ahead
- Hernekeitto is almost always better the next day after the flavors have fully merged; make it a day ahead and reheat — it will also thicken further overnight.
- Leftover move
- Thick leftover hernekeitto, thinned with a little water and reheated, is the Thursday noon lunch in Finnish homes; serve with dark rye bread and butter.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the pot with hot water immediately after serving; thick split pea soup sets hard when it cools and clings to the sides.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
dried yellow split peas
soup base and thickener
Purpose: Split peas need no soaking and dissolve into a smooth, thick soup with long simmering — yellow split peas are milder and sweeter than green, which is correct for hernekeitto.
Handling: Rinse the split peas in cold water and check for any small stones before adding to the pot; no soaking required for split peas.
Adaptation: Green split peas can be substituted for a slightly earthier, more bitter flavor; the color will be a darker olive green.
smoked ham hock or pork shoulder
flavor base and protein
Purpose: Smoked pork is the defining flavor partner for the peas — it infuses the broth with deep, smoky, savory notes that dried seasoning cannot replicate.
Handling: Add the hock whole and remove it to shred the meat after cooking; the bone and skin release collagen that thickens the soup beyond what the peas provide.
Adaptation: Smoked turkey leg works as a substitution; reduce the simmer time to 60 minutes as turkey leg meat becomes dry if overcooked.
large onion, finely chopped
aromatic base
Purpose: Onion dissolves into the long-simmered soup, providing sweetness and depth that rounds out the smokiness of the pork.
Handling: Chop finely so it disappears fully into the soup and contributes flavor without any visible chunks in the finished dish.
Adaptation: Two shallots or one large leek can replace the onion for a slightly milder, sweeter aromatics profile.
dried marjoram
finish herb
Purpose: Marjoram is the herb that makes hernekeitto Finnish rather than generic European pea soup — it is not interchangeable with oregano in this context.
Handling: Add in the final 10 minutes of cooking so the volatile oils do not all cook off during the long simmer.
Adaptation: Fresh thyme (1 tsp) is the closest substitute in both flavor direction and the right moment to add it.
Finnish or Dijon mustard, to serve
table condiment
Purpose: A spoonful of sharp mustard stirred into the bowl by each diner is the traditional serving method and adds a bright, vinegary contrast to the rich, earthy soup.
Handling: Serve at the table in a small dish alongside the soup rather than stirring into the pot.
Adaptation: Whole grain mustard or a mild Swedish-style mustard is a good alternative if Finnish mustard is unavailable.
Technique notes
- If the soup is not fully smooth after 90 minutes, give it a quick mash with a potato masher directly in the pot rather than blending — it gives a better texture than an immersion blender, which can make split pea soup gluey.
- Pull the ham hock out when the peas are soft, shred all the meat from the bone, discard the skin, and stir the meat back into the soup so it is distributed evenly rather than concentrated in one ladle.
- Skim the foam that rises in the first 15 minutes of simmering; it is protein from both the peas and the pork and, if left, it slightly muddies the soup's clean flavor.
Ingredient swaps
- Smoked turkey version
- Replace the smoked ham hock with a smoked turkey leg for a lighter, slightly less rich soup; the pea flavor comes forward more without pork fat.
- Vegetarian direction
- Omit the pork entirely; add 1 tsp smoked paprika and a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the broth, and use vegetable stock to approximate the smoky depth.
- Gluten-free direction
- The soup is naturally gluten-free as written; confirm that the mustard served alongside is labeled gluten-free if that is a concern.
Serve alongside
- dark Finnish rye bread (ruisleipa) with cold butter
- sweet crepe-style pancakes with lingonberry jam (the traditional Thursday follow-up)
- pickled beets on the side as a sharp contrast
- cold dark Finnish beer or a malty amber ale
- plain cold water or lingonberry juice
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days; the soup thickens significantly in the refrigerator — add a splash of water when reheating and stir well.
- Reheat over medium heat, stirring from the bottom to prevent the thick soup from scorching; add water gradually until the consistency is right.
- Freezes very well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight and reheat with a generous splash of water as the peas continue to absorb liquid even when frozen.
Equipment
- 6-quart heavy stockpot or Dutch oven
- potato masher for smoothing the peas at the end
- tongs or two forks for shredding the ham hock meat
- fine-mesh skimmer for removing foam in the first 15 minutes
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