Crockpot Split Pea Soup

Crockpot Split Pea Soup is hearty and flavorful and a great way to use up leftover ham. Making split pea soup in the slow cooker makes it EASY and so good!

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Split pea soup has always been my favorite. When done right, it is so good and filling. Making it in the slow cooker is completely hands off and so nice to come home to after a day at work or on a lazy Sunday. Serve with some onion dill bread or easy garlic knots for pure comfort food.

The older I get the more I appreciate how easy crockpot soups are. Some favorites are chicken tortilla and green chile chicken enchilada. Now I can add split pea to my collection.

INGREDIENTS

SPLIT PEAS – You’ll need a bag of dried green split peas. You don’t need to soak them, but make sure to rinse them in a colander to remove any stones or skins.
HAM – Ham is optional but it adds great flavor. I like to dice up leftover holiday ham.
ONION – White or yellow onion work best for flavor.
CARROTS – Mixed with the onion and garlic, carrots add great flavor (and a pop of color!) to split pea soup.
GARLIC – I always keep minced garlic on hand (the kind packed in olive oil) or I buy peeled garlic from Trader Joe’s. Both are a time saver.
SAGE – Sage adds an earthy, peppery taste.
THYME – Subtly sweet and peppery, thyme pairs well with sage.
BAY LEAF – Another subtle layer of flavor, the bay leaf helps to lighten up an otherwise very hearty soup.
CHICKEN BROTH – I use low sodium chicken broth because ham generally gives enough salt. If you want to skip the ham and make this soup vegetarian, use vegetable stock.
WATER – You’ll add water to the soup to thin it out.

TOOLS FOUND ON AMAZON TO HELP YOU

• Slow Cooker – This recipe makes 2 quarts of soup so you’ll want at least a 4 quart slow cooker. I use a 6 quart and love that it switches to WARM after the set cooking time.
• Veggie Chopper – This thing is my favorite kitchen gadget lately. It makes dicing the carrots and onions SO easy.
• Ladle – Sometimes I try to portion out soup with just a large spoon and always regret not pulling out my ladle.
• Souper Cubes – I LOVE these freezing trays. They make it so easy to portion out leftover soup and freeze them for later.

HOW TO MAKE MAKE CROCKPOT SPLIT PEA SOUP

This soup is so incredibly easy, you’re going to want to make it often. Like, one step easy!

STEP ONE: Add all ingredients to the slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. That’s it! If it gets too thick for your liking, thin it out with either water of more chicken broth.

DO DRIED SPLIT PEAS NEED TO BE SOAKED BEFORE COOKING?

Because you’re cooking your split peas low and slow in the crockpot, you don’t need to soak them first. Soaking them helps speed up cooking time, so maybe a good option if you’re making this soup on the stovetop, but not entirely necessary.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T RINSE SPLIT PEAS?

Rinsing split peas in a colander is an important step in making your soup. Give them a quick rinse so you don’t lose flavor and nutrients, but check them over for stones or shells that you’ll want to pick out.

CAN DIABETICS HAVE SPLIT PEA SOUP?

Split peas are relatively low in carbohydrates and have a lower glycemic index than some other legumes so it is generally safe for diabetics. My diabetic husband loves it – you get the comfort of a creamy soup without the carbs.

IS SPLIT PEA SOUP HEALTHY?

I give you the approximate nutrition facts below the recipe card, but split pea soup is pretty good for you! It fills you up while being high in protein and fiber.

CAN I USE A HAM BONE?

If you have a full bone-in ham, you can absolutely use the ham bone. It will add a lot of great flavor. Also, there is likely a lot of meat left on the bone that will easily come off after being in the slow cooker all day.

CAN I FREEZE IT?

Yes! Split pea soup freezes very well. Once cooled, I like to portion out the soup into my Souper Cubes and freeze. When I’m ready to eat the frozen leftovers, I put one of the cubes in my mini crockpot in the morning and by lunch it is absolutely perfect! Alternatively, you can also move a frozen cube to a small saucepan and heat on low on the stove until warm.

MORE CROCKPOT SOUPS YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Slow Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
Cabbage Roll Soup (Stovetop or Slow Cooker)
Click to view my entire collection of soup recipes.