This Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe is a great way to make use of that leftover holiday ham bone. Cooking it low and slow is the best method for creating creamy, delicious split pea soup.
I love ham bone recipes. There’s just something so old-fashioned and right about turning something that might otherwise be discarded into another delicious meal. In our grandparents generation, people would have never considered throwing a meaty ham bone in the trash, so why should we? Recipes that involve leftovers can become as traditional in your home as the holiday meal they stem from.
This Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is one of my favorite recipes to make the day after Easter thanks to my sis, Marj. She has lots of good ideas and this is one of them. Love ya, sis.
I look forward to cooking up a batch of this comforting soup with the bone from my Maple Glazed Spiral Ham, Classic Glazed Ham, or Slow Cooker Ham.
Table of contents
Healthy Comfort Food
Split peas are rich in soluble fiber which, in addition to helping to keep our cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check, also makes us feel full and satiated for a good long time. A bowl of Split Pea Soup is a stick to your ribs meal that is high in protein but low in fat. To avoid excess sodium, be sure to use low-sodium broth and only season lightly with salt.
Ingredient Notes
- Green split peas: A one pound bag of dried green split peas, rinsed well and drained.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, white or yellow onion, and minced garlic.
- Herbs: Fresh Italian parsley, fresh thyme, and a dried bay leaf.
- Seasoning: A little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ham is quite salty so I always use salt sparingly and then taste and season as needed at the end of the cooking process.
- Ham bone: A meaty ham bone from your leftover holiday ham or a store-bought ham bone or ham shank.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth
How to Make Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
- Layer the ingredients, through the ham bone, in a slow cooker in the order listed.
- Add about 4 to 5 cups of chicken broth, just enough to cover the ingredients. Reserve the remaining broth for later. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir occasionally during cooking time.
- Let it cook until the peas have softened to your liking and the soup has a nice, creamy consistency. Remove and discard the bay leaf and remove the ham bone.
- Tear off any remaining meat from the bone and return it to the slow cooker. Use a spoon to lightly mash some of the peas against the side of the slow cooker and stir until nice and creamy, adding more broth, if needed, to reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.
FAQ and Valerie’s Tips
If you are cooking your split peas in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, there is no need to soak them in advance. Just put them in a colander, give them a good rinse with cool water, and pick through them to remove any small pebbles or debris.
Cooking split pea soup in a slow cooker with a ham bone results in an exceptionally creamy soup infused with smoky, meaty flavor. If you’re in a hurry, you can make this recipe in an Instant Pot in a fraction of the time with a great result. See the recipe card for the detailed instructions.
If you don’t have a leftover ham bone, check the meat counter at your local grocery store for a ham hock or shank. If you omit the bone altogether, I recommend purchasing a ham steak so that you can add 1 ½ to 2 cups diced ham at the end of the cooking time. Just be aware that the the soup will be missing the unique smoky flavor that only comes from cooking with a ham bone.
If your split peas are still crunchy, they need to cook longer. Check them periodically and add additional broth, if needed, so they remain covered in liquid through the cooking process. Just like dried beans, split peas require a slow, long cooking time in order to become tender. When cooked in a slow cooker, the dried peas will break down and transform in front of your eyes into a beautiful, thick and creamy soup over the course of 6 to 8 hours. The longer you let them go, the creamier your soup will be. And, this my friends, is a good thing!
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Split Pea Soup freezes exceptionally well. Freeze the completely cooled soup in freezer-safe containers or plastic storage bags and use within 3 to 4 months. I like to store it in serving size portions so we can pull out just one or two servings for an easy lunch.
- Reheating: Thaw frozen Split Pea Soup overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it in microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. Thin the soup with a little water or chicken broth, if desired.
More Ham Bone Recipes
- Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
- Baked Beans from Scratch
- Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
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Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried green split peas, rinsed well and drained
- 2 carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup diced white or yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 meaty ham bone, see notes below
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth, or more, as needed, divided
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method
- Layer the ingredients, through the ham bone, in a slow cooker in the order listed. Add as much of the chicken broth as needed to just cover the ingredients, about 4 to 5 cups. Reserve the remaining chicken broth for later.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir occasionally during the cooking time and add additional broth only if the level drops below the ingredients.
- When the peas are tender, remove the ham bone and transfer it to a cutting board. Pull off any remaining ham, tear it into small pieces, and return it to the slow cooker. Discard the ham bone and bay leaf. Use a spoon to lightly mash some of the peas against the side of the slow cooker and stir until nice and creamy, adding more broth, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.
Instant Pot Method
- Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to SAUTE and toggle to MORE. When it displays HOT add 1 tablespoon oil (vegetable or canola). Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Hit CANCEL.
- Add the remaining ingredients, including all 6 cups of the broth. Secure the lid, select MANUAL, and cook on HIGH pressure for 14 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release for 10 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid and remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the ham bone to a cutting board. Use a fork to pull away any ham from the ham bone, chop it into pieces and add back to the soup. Discard the bone. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerator – Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer – Split Pea Soup freezes exceptionally well. Freeze the completely cooled soup in freezer-safe containers or plastic storage bags and use within 3 to 4 months. I like to store it in serving size portions so we can pull out just one or two servings for an easy lunch.
- Reheating – Thaw frozen Split Pea Soup overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it in microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. Thin the soup with a little water or chicken broth, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
This post was originally published on April 9, 2015. It has been updated with new text and images.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
I was curious about the cooking time as well, so I did a bit of research with other slow cooker recipes. I will be turning it down to low here after it cooking for about two hours on high. I have mine on a timer so I will cook it for another five on low and hopefully that will be enough. One tip I found curious, however, was to NOT add salt as it can toughen the peas and the ham is salty enough. I wish I would have come across that tip before throwing this together, as I almost left it out just by my own instinct. Perhaps that’s why you have to cook yours so long on high? I will let you know how mine turns out, but I am really nervous about that salt. I did cut it down to about a half a teaspoon. It did also say to add a diced potato for absorbing the salt; however I don’t have one. Fingers crossed!
Hello Paula. I can’t imagine that the addition of salt would have such a huge impact on the cooking time. You’ll find all kinds of tips and different methods around and it’s good to do your research and adapt your recipes accordingly. This is what worked for me with my slow cooker but every appliance can vary and results can differ. I’m sure it will turn out wonderfully. Enjoy! 🙂
Absolutely delicious! I shared it, with a link to your website, on my own blog. I hope that is okay.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Claire 🙂 Thanks for linking back.
Started this soup at about 10am yesterday and figured on high for 7 hours it would be done at 5pm. At about 2 it looked about done so I turned it on low and when my husband got home at 4 he said it tasted awful because it burnt. I would definitely change your suggestion on cooking time to 4 hours in high or 7 hours on low
I’m sorry to hear that it didn’t work out for you. Every slow cooker is different so I think the key to any recipe is to know your equipment and make adjustments accordingly. It is unusual to hear that something has been burned in a slow cooker but I would definitely only use the LOW setting if that was the case.
I made this yesterday and can’t wait to have it for dinner tonight. It was so easy and tastes great! I think the ham bone is the big key to an awesome split pea soup. It adds so much extra flavor to the soup. I doubled the recipe so that there will be plenty leftover to share are freeze. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
You are absolutely right, Rebecca. A good, meaty ham bone takes it to the next level. I’m so happy to hear it turned out well for you! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know 🙂
My boyfriend & I made this yesterday for dinner and it was AMAZING. It was so simple (we prepped it all the night before) and so affordable. I didn’t have a ham bone, so I bought a ham hock and that worked perfectly. I also cooked it on LOW for 8 hours. The boyfriend’s slow cooker doesn’t do the high setting for 8 hours so we had no choice. I was at work all day, so couldn’t check on it, but it couldn’t have turned out better. Really great recipe! Will definitely make again and again!
Fantastic! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. The leftovers will reheat really well. Just add a bit of chicken broth to thin it if necessary. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Saved this to Pinterest on Nov 15, 2015 and, after ham last night, i saved the bone and it is all in the slow cooker as we speak. Can’t wait to taste it. The house smells great and my whole family is a fan of split pea soup! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Fantastic! I hope that you enjoy the soup 🙂
I have this in the crockpot right now – it’s at hour 6 on high and it’s DELICIOUS! I can’t wait for this to be done. Making some 7up biscuits and/or cinnamon rolls to go with it!
It all sounds delicious, Kris. Enjoy!
Are you sure this is to be cooked on High? I just made a double batch using ham shank bones, and it was actually overcooked at 4 hours on High. I think it would be better to cook it for 7-8 hours on Low. Taste is good, but texture is not soupy, but more like mashed potatoes. I should have checked it more frequently.
Hi James. Slow cookers can vary but with mine, I needed to cook it on high for that length of time in order to soften the very tough dry split peas. Your slow cooker could very well be different. The texture is a very easy issue to solve. The recipes states to check it throughout the cooking time and add additional broth to reach the desired consistency. You could even add the broth after the fact to thin it and get the soupier consistency you’re after.
I agree with this post, this happened to my soup tonight. I had burned soup in bottom of slow cooker. I was able to save it, made sure to not scrape the burned bits, I also used ham shank that was very meaty and not fatty. I added four cups of chicken stock to cook it and then Two cups of water to reconstitute it back to soup. Tasted good, will have it tomorrow. Please watch your time, and I also will use low setting next time. No need to purée this after cooking this in crock pot. Liked recipe, overall.
Using a slow cooker (heat on bottom) as opposed to crock pot all around heat). I have been told, you have to stir the slow cooker more often, and you don’t have to stir the crock pot.
Honey Baked Ham sells ham bones. They are great for recipes like this one.
I didn’t know that! That’s a great tip. Thanks, Thais!
Will this soup still taste yummy without the ham bone? Is the bone absolutely necessary to the flavor of the soup? My husband wants me to make split pea soup and this recipe looks great! It’s just not ham eating season. Thanks!
The ham bone definitely adds a depth of flavor to the soup but I know we don’t always have a spare ham bone lying around 🙂 You can usually find ham hocks at the grocery store but if you’d prefer, you can leave it out altogether and just add a good amount of diced ham. Hope this helps!
I am single and live alone, so chances of me having a hambone are slim. So I buy diced ham and use an ample amount in my soup. I freeze lots of individual portions as it is so nice to have a delicious meal already prepared! I make this recipe often and have a pot cooking right now.
Thanks for the tips, Jeanne. It does freeze very well. So glad you are enjoying the recipe 🙂
My son has an allergy to all mammal meat (beef/pork), so we don’t ever use a ham bone when making pea soup. I just use Jennie-O’s Turkey Ham and we don’t know the difference in taste.
Can you use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
Sure!
I use “smoked” turkey parts (drumsticks, wings, shanks etc..) instead of ham. Healthier too. You can find them at most stores.
We always have leftover Hiney Baked Ham. I cut most of the usable meat off and freeze it and then make stock with the leftover bone to freeze. Whenever we want split pea soup, I pull out some of the frozen stock and meat and it tastes just like if you had made it with the bone every time!
Great tips, Kim. Thank you! I wasn’t ready to do anything with my ham bone from Christmas Eve this year so I vacuum sealed and froze it. It’s so nice to know it’s just waiting for me when I’m ready for it!
I have used chopped up bacon to simulate the ham
Looks so yummy! When I was little we had car trouble in Buellton and spent HOURS at Pea Soup Andersen’s hanging out waiting for it to get fixed. lol My sister and I have had an aversion to pea soup ever since- your recipe makes me want to change my tune 🙂 I love cooking with ham bones too!
I love that you made this in the slow cooker Valerie – it looks delicious!