Rinse and sort the split peas, removing any stones or debris. Dice the celery into small pieces, peel and slice the carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, and finely dice the onion. Chop the bacon into small pieces. Having everything prepped and ready will make the sauté step smooth and prevent ingredients from overcooking while you prep others.

Set your Ninja Foodi to sauté mode. Cook the bacon pieces until they're crispy and have rendered their fat, about 4-5 minutes. This rendered bacon fat becomes your cooking medium. Add the prepared celery, carrots, and onion to the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly and the aromatics become fragrant. I find that this initial vegetable sauté creates a much richer, deeper flavor foundation than just tossing everything into the pressure cooker raw.

Add the diced ham to the pot along with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the ham. This brief cooking step blooms the spices, releasing their essential oils and deepening their flavors, which creates a more complex taste in the final soup.

Add the ham bone, rinsed and sorted split peas from Step 1, chicken broth, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir well to combine everything evenly. Seal the lid and set the Ninja Foodi to pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. The pressure will help break down the peas into a creamy texture while infusing all the flavors together.

Once the 15 minutes are complete, allow the pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Then manually release any remaining pressure and carefully open the lid. Remove the ham bone and pick off any meat that has fallen away from the bone during cooking, adding it back into the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Give the soup a good stir to combine everything evenly. The split peas should be completely tender and partially broken down, creating a naturally creamy, rustic texture. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. A dollop of sour cream adds a cooling contrast and richness to the rich, smoky broth—I highly recommend it, especially if your soup is on the saltier side, as the creaminess balances it beautifully.