Here is an easy slow cooker split pea soup with ham recipe we make every month for dinner. It is an inexpensive meal with no soaking required. When it’s cold outside it is the perfect leftover ham recipe to make after the holidays too.
Once again I was looking for another meal to make with my leftovers. I hadn’t tried making soup from scratch before but figured it couldn’t be that hard. It came out amazing and is now included in our long list of favorite and easy crockpot recipes.
Honestly I had never used dried beans for anything so this was really a new experience. Seemed to me that it would take lot of work and time to start from scratch like this. I couldn’t believe how well it turned out. After this I made all sorts of other creations with dried beans.
Split Pea Soup with Ham Bone
During the year this is a great way of how to cook ham hocks. You can find them smoked at the grocery store really really cheap. They add a ton of flavor cooked together throughout the day. The meat on the outside will become so tender that it will just fall off. Then you just scoop out the bones and discard those when you’re ready to eat and serve. 😉
Another idea is you can grab a small pork shank, those are great too. Lay in the bottom and the same thing will happen. The meat will just peel off after all the hours soaking, and you won’t even need to add seasonings because the meat has enough.
Ingredient Notes
The dried peas I found in a barrel at our local organic market. I grabbed a few veggies in the produce section and that was literally all I needed.
Most of the time I use leftovers, cut up ham steak or ham hocks for something like this. Of course you could make it vegetarian too. I didn’t have a ham bone so I diced the ham I had left over, about 2.5 cups.
You will need a liquid to cook everything in to get tender. Typically I will use Vegetable broth for this. You can use water but broth is so much better to add lots of flavor of course.
Now let’s talk about vegetables that work well in this meal. Carrots and celery are nice diced with some yellow or white Onions in there too. All super inexpensive and can be found year round, bonus.
Salt and pepper to taste is used. I will sprinkle some in before cooking since it will be rather bland if you add nothing but the broth does have some sodium so have a light hand. Bay leaves are optional (but a must for some).
Variations and Substitutions
This crockpot split pea soup recipe is not only good and healthy but really inexpensive to make too! Seriously I only think I spent about $6, since I already had the meat. Precooked and diced ham can be purchased near the bacon which is also a great choice too. You’d want to brown that until just before it gets really crispy. Add a bit for flavor at the beginning with more as a topping.
with Potatoes
Want to make it even heartier with a tweak? You can add a bag of diced frozen hashbrowns or cut up some yourself. I would recommend red or russets in small bits like breakfast potatoes size. It will make this thicker and heartier for sure.
If you like it thick like you see in the picture at the top then just add 6 cups of vegetable broth or water. However, if you want a soupier consistency add 7 cups of water, like the picture at the bottom. Either way you make it, this is a hearty soup everyone loves.
Do split peas need to be soaked?
NO. I use them right out of the bag for our slow cooker and Instant Pot split pea soup recipe. Under high pressure or on low all day they soften nicely and create a smooth soup everyone loves in closer to 17 minutes. What is nice about this version though is you can throw it all in first thing in the morning and when you’re home you just lift the lid!
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 16 oz split peas, dry
- 7 cups vegetable broth, or water, more if you want to thin it out
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1/3 small onion , diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large ham hocks, or leftover ham, bite size-diced
Instructions
- Add dried peas and broth to slow cooker.
- Cut veggies into med. sized sliced pieces and add to crockpot. Dice onion and add that as well as your salt too. (can salt at the end if you’d rather)
- Put your ham hocks in the middle (or sprinkle your diced leftover ham pcs. into your pot).
- Cover and let cook on low for about 8 hrs or until your peas are as soft as you’d like them. If using ham hock remove before eating and cut off meat, return to pot and stir into soup.
- Add more broth to thin out if desired – will thicken as it sits as well as become thicker the next day if you have leftovers
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love buying half a ham throughout the year though because we can get at least a weeks worth of meals out of it like our Crockpot loaded baked potato soup we cooked this year, which makes it really cheap! I’d use my 6 qt. crockpot with a locking lid which is great especially if you’re taking this to a potluck.
FAQ
Peas are a great source of fiber which can lower cholesterol. Of course if you’re looking for a low fat version, omit bacon but ham is a great choice to add some protein to the meal.
I have never needed to add anything. It becomes more thick as it cools and sits so keep that in mind. You could whisk together a bit of flour or cornstarch with 3 tsp. of water, and pour in to thicken.
Once you add enough liquid to submerge them the cooking time from cover and cooking to serving for dinner in the Crock pot until peas are tender is about 8 hours. I do not recommend 3-4 hours on high but it is possible to speed up the process (just isn’t quite as smooth if you rush it).
Yes, there is no need to precook them first. This is a great way to slow cook them to the point where the meat pulls away from the bones after about 6 hours. I would suggest at that point you remove the ham, discard bones, and let it cook the last 2 hours this way for the best flavor for your dish.
How to save leftovers
If you do have leftovers it saves quite well. Always make sure it cools completely to room temperature before transferring it into a container. It will stay well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator until you’re ready to reheat it. Reheat leftover soup in a microwave safe bowl. It will have thickened up so adds some broth.
Stir it in until it thins out a bit and become the consistency you want. Heat for 45 seconds and then stir. Again add another 45 seconds or so and stir again. Do this until it is as warmed as you’d like. It is nice to add some shredded cheese and bacon bits to the top too when enjoying again.
Other easy soup recipes for dinner you’ll love
If you like these easy soup recipes you’ll love these as well. Our Crockpot Italian wedding soup recipe is probably top on our list of favorites too. You can use frozen meatballs if you like but I do have instructions on how to make your own with raw sausage links.
Chicken soup in the Crockpot is always a win when you feel under the weather or it’s rainy outside. Instant Pot barley soup is wonderful with leftover ham bone as well. Leftover ham bean soup goes without saying is the perfect day after Easter meal. Comfort food at it’s finest.
We loved this soup and it made plenty for freezing for the autumn, definitely will be making again.
yay!
One of my favourite soups.