Easy Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup Recipe – Hearty & Delicious
This Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is a comforting, hearty dish that's perfect for chilly days. Made with simple ingredients like split peas, carrots, and onions, it’s packed with flavor and nutrition. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to prepare. Just toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do all the work while you go about your day. As the soup simmers, the peas break down into a creamy, velvety texture. Not only is it delicious, but it's also a healthy, filling meal. Whether you're making it for a cozy dinner or meal prepping for the week, this soup will warm you up and keep you satisfied.
What Makes This Recipe So Good?
- Hands-off cooking – The slow cooker does all the work, making it a low-effort, high-reward dish.
- Rich, hearty flavor – The split peas, carrots, onions, and optional ham create a savory, deeply satisfying taste.
- Creamy texture – As the peas cook, they break down into a velvety, thick consistency without the need for cream or added thickeners.
- Nutritious and filling – Packed with fiber and protein, it's a healthy and satisfying meal.
- Versatile – You can keep it vegetarian or add ham for extra flavor.
- Great for meal prep – It freezes and reheats beautifully, making it ideal for planning ahead.
Key Ingredients
- Split peas – The star of the soup, providing that creamy texture and hearty base.
- Carrots – Adds natural sweetness and color.
- Onions – For a savory depth of flavor.
- Garlic – Enhances the overall taste with a subtle kick.
- Celery – Adds freshness and extra texture.
- Vegetable or chicken broth – The liquid base that helps simmer the ingredients to perfection.
- Bay leaves – For a hint of earthy flavor.
- Ham (optional) – Adds a smoky, savory flavor if you're not keeping it vegetarian.
- Salt and pepper – To taste, for seasoning and enhancing the overall flavor.
Chefs Helpful Tips
- Rinse the split peas – Be sure to rinse and sort through the peas before adding them to the slow cooker to remove any debris.
- Sauté the veggies first – For extra flavor, sauté the onions, garlic, and celery in a bit of oil before adding them to the slow cooker.
- Use smoked ham – If you’re adding ham, use smoked ham or a ham hock for a deeper, smoky flavor.
- Go low and slow – Cooking the soup on the low setting for 6-8 hours allows the flavors to fully develop and the peas to break down into a creamy texture.
- Stir occasionally – If you’re around, give the soup a stir halfway through cooking to ensure the ingredients mix evenly.
- Adjust the consistency – If the soup is too thick, add more broth or water toward the end of cooking to reach your desired consistency.
- Season at the end – Wait until the soup is fully cooked to adjust the seasoning, as the flavors will concentrate as it simmers.
- Freeze leftovers – This soup freezes beautifully, so make a large batch and save some for busy days.
Recipes You'll Enjoy...
This Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is a comforting, hearty dish that's perfect for chilly days. Made with simple ingredients like split peas, carrots, and onions, it’s packed with flavor and nutrition. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to prepare. Just toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do all the work while you go about your day. As the soup simmers, the peas break down into a creamy, velvety texture. Not only is it delicious, but it's also a healthy, filling meal. Whether you're making it for a cozy dinner or meal prepping for the week, this soup will warm you up and keep you satisfied.
- 1 pound dried split peas (rinsed and sorted)
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 pound ham or ham hock (optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for sautéing vegetables, optional)
- Prepare the ingredients
Rinse and sort through the split peas to remove any debris. Dice the carrots, celery, and onion, and mince the garlic.
- Optional step (for added flavor)
In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the diced onions, garlic, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. This adds extra flavor, but you can skip this step if pressed for time.
- Add ingredients to the slow cooker
Place the split peas, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme (if using), salt, pepper, broth, and water into the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Add ham (if using)
If you’re using ham or a ham hock, add it to the slow cooker as well.
- Cook the soup
Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 6-8 hours, or until the peas are soft and the soup has thickened to your desired consistency. If you're short on time, you can cook on high for 4-5 hours.
- Stir and adjust seasoning
After cooking, remove the bay leaf and ham hock (if used). Shred any meat from the ham hock and stir it back into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Rest the soup
Let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle.
- Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy! You can garnish with fresh parsley or croutons if desired.
- Store leftovers
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 250kcal
- Calories from Fat 36kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 4g7%
- Saturated Fat 1g5%
- Cholesterol 10mg4%
- Sodium 500mg21%
- Potassium 700mg20%
- Total Carbohydrate 40g14%
- Dietary Fiber 16g64%
- Sugars 5g
- Protein 16g32%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.