Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Amethyst · November 2, 2025, 4:56pm

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients:

20 ounces or 16 ounces dried split peas (See Note below)
4 cups chicken broth
1-1 ½ cups water (See Note below)
2 cups cubed ham, store-bought or leftover, or 1 meaty ham bone
3 carrots, peeled and then diced
2 celery ribs diced
½ large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme

Optional Garnish:

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

High Instructions:

The night before, soak the peas overnight in water. The next day, drain and then rinse under cold water. Combine all soup ingredients, excluding parsley, in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours. If desired, to thicken more, after 4 hours of cooking on high, cook with the lid off for an additional 1 hour.

Low Instructions:

Rinse peas and drain well. Combine all soup ingredients, excluding parsley, in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

(If you have extra time, you can continue to cook longer to further soften the ingredients and for the flavors to further develop. It really just comes down to how much time you have. Personally, I cook mine covered on high for 4 hours and then uncovered for about another 1 hour.)

Final Steps, Garnish, and Serve: Discard bay leaf. If you’d like a thicker consistency, carefully blend the soup using an immersion blender until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in parsley, then carefully taste test and add salt and pepper based on taste preferences.

Notes:

Amount of Split Peas and Amount of Water: Use 1 cup of water if you add 16 ounces of split peas. If you use 20 ounces of split peas, use 1 1⁄2 cups of water. If desired, add more water towards the end of the cooking time to thin the soup out.

Bone-In Ham Note: If using bone-in ham, keep the bone in the soup until the soup has finished cooking. Remove from the soup when removing the bay leaf.

Refrigerator Storage: Let the soup cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer Storage: Freeze it in portions in a freezer-safe container, and it’ll be good for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Reheating: To reheat, pop it in the microwave, stirring every minute or so until it’s heated through. You can also reheat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has become too thick in the fridge, thin it out with a little water or broth.

Ingredient substitution suggestions:

Split Peas: Lentils should work. They cook faster, so keep an eye on your soup’s texture. No need to soak them.

Chicken Stock: Vegetable broth will work well here.

Ham: Leftover turkey, smoked sausage, or even bacon are good options.

Carrots: Parsnips or even rutabaga would work in a pinch.

Dried Thyme: Sage or rosemary will work.

Yellow Onion: Red, brown, or white onion would be fine.

For a vegetarian version, sub vegetable broth for chicken broth, ditch the meat, and add a tablespoon or two of liquid smoke, along with your favorite vegan sausage, to get a similar flavor and texture as the original recipe.

Double down on the meat by adding diced smoked sausage or bacon in addition to the ham for an extra protein punch.

Stir in some red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños if you love a bit of spice. It’s a nice way to heat things up on a chilly day.

Throw in more vegetables like potatoes, turnips, or squash for a heartier soup.

Experiment with different herbs, like rosemary, sage, or even a bit of dill, to find your favorite flavor profile.

FAQ’s:

Is it necessary to soak the split peas?

If you’re cooking the soup on high in your slow cooker, yes, I would suggest soaking them, or they likely won’t soften enough. However, if you’re cooking the soup on low, you can skip this step.

How should slow-cooker split pea soup be stored and reheated?

Let the soup cool to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, pop it in the microwave, stirring every minute or so until it’s heated through. You can also reheat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has become too thick in the fridge, thin it out with a little water or broth. To freeze, store it in portions in a freezer-safe container, and it’ll be good for up to 3 months. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge or gently warm it from frozen in the microwave or on the stove.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe courtesy of Real Balanced.com