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Katie's Cucina » Recipes » Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Published: Apr 5, 2021 · Modified: Dec 27, 2022 by Katie · This post may contain affiliate links

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Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
Five photos split by text; top of 4 photo collage of split pea soup making process, bottom of a finished bowl of split pea soup.
Top view of two bowls of Split Pea Soup with text on image for pinterest.
Three photos split by text; top two of cooked split pea with ham and bottom of a bowl full of split pea soup.
Top view of two bowls of split pea soup with text on image for Pinterest.
Black ladle holding split pea soup over a slow cooker with logo on bottom right corner.
Slow cooker and two white bowls filled with split pea soup with text on image for Pinterest.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is the perfect way to use up leftover ham and transform it into a hearty soup that is perfect for lunch or dinner. The soup slow cooks for 8 hours, resulting in a velvety broth chocked full of vegetables and ham.

Top view of two white bowls filled with Split Pea Soup with ham and vegetables with a spoon in one bowl.

Split pea soup. You either love it or hate it. I grew up hating it. My mom would make it a few times each year, and try to persuade me to try her families recipe for that thick green split pea soup. Of course, me being a young bratty child I always refused. It wasn’t until I was in college that I finally gave the soup a try, and found out that I loved it. I think the green murky color is what turns-off most people. In the the food blogger/ food photography world we like to call this soup “ugly food”. It is hard to photograph and convey how delicious this soup really does taste.

My recipe is a combination of both mothers ingredients plus put my own spin on it. You know I love veggies. So why not add lots to the pot. I also did something daring. I put a few parsnips in the slow cooker. Before making this soup I never even cooked or consumed parsnips. But I knew it was a root vegetable, and I figured this Split Pea Soup was the perfect dish to use it in.

Both mothers let their soups simmer on the stove top for hours on end. I don’t have that kind of time. Instead, I made my split pea soup in the slow cooker. If I remember to start it early enough this is the way I will make it. However, if I forget then I will make my Instant Pot Split Pea Soup version! Both turn out delicious each and every time.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Directions
  • FAQs
  • Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Leftover Ham Recipes
  • Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

Ingredients: split peas, seasoning salt, carrots, celery, parsnips, bay leaf, garlic, onion, ham, onion, potatoes, and ham bone.
  • Ham – You need both the ham bone and extra ham to top and/or mix into the soup.
  • Split Peas – One 16 oz. bag is all you need for this recipe. No need to presoak. Just place them right in the slow cooker!
  • Vegetables – Potatoes, parsnips, carrots, celery, onions, and green onions. The only thing that most people don’t put in their soup is parsnips and we really like the flavor it adds to it!
  • Spices – Seasoning salt (this is my secret ingredient for the best Split Pea Soup!), fresh garlic minced, black pepper, fresh parsley, and a bay leaf!
  • Water – Yes, you read that correctly. I have found that the ham itself has enough fat and salt in it. If you use chicken broth or stock it can be too greasy or even salty. Water is key. Trust me. Between the flavors of the ham bone, vegetables, and Seasoning Salt this is a very flavorful soup.

Directions

Four photos of the process of putting together the Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.

In a 6 quart slow cooker, place the ham bone and split peas in the slow cooker. Then add the sliced carrots, parsnips, white potatoes, onion, celery, and garlic on top. Add bay leaf, season salt, and black pepper followed by 6 cups of water. Stir until everything is incorporated.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Once the soup is done remove the ham bone and add in the diced ham. Mix well, and add 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. Mix again.

Black ladle filled with split pea soup over a black slow cooker.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with additional parsley and green onions.

FAQs

Top view of a slow cooker and two white bowls filled with split pea soup with fresh vegetables on the side.

Here are all the frequently asked questions readers have asked when making this recipe.

How much soup does this slow cooker pea soup make?

My recipe for slow cooker pea soup makes 8 hearty adult portions.

Is this recipe gluten and dairy free?

Yes! My Slow Cooker Split Pea soup recipe is both gluten and dairy free. Just make sure your ham is meats the dietary needs (all depending on how you make it, but it should most definitely be gluten and dairy free.

Do split peas need to be soaked before cooking?

Split peas do not need to be soaked before cooking. They cook relatively quick which is one reason why you don’t need to soak them!

What does it mean to rinse and sort split peas?

Before you go to make the split pea soup you will want to sort through the split peas to ensure their are no little stones. Then quickly rinse them under water in a colander until the water turns clear. This will help remove some of the extra possible dirt and starch.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

If you are a vegetarian, the good news is that you can still enjoy split pea soup. You will omit the meat for this recipe. If you want the umami flavoring you can add a teaspoon of liquid smoke. It will give you a smokey flavor without any meat.

Tips & Tricks

Diced green celery, chopped carrots, and parsnips.

Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve learned when making this recipe.

  • Prep – You can prep all the vegetables except for the potatoes the night before. You can even place all the spices in the bag. This will allow you to throw this together in minutes come the next morning. I do this often!
  • Ham Bone – If you don’t have a ham bone, that’s okay. You can omit that part; however, the ham bone is what gives off so much flavor. You can use a pre-cooked ham to add at the end of your soup.
  • Make Split Pea Soup Vegetarian – You can easily make this split pea soup vegetarian my omitting the ham bone and diced ham. Instead, I would use vegetable broth instead of water to add a little flavor to the soup.
  • Toppings – Fun fact, I love to top my split pea soup with croutons! You can buy store bought or make a batch of my Garlic Bacon Croutons.

Leftover Ham Recipes

If you still have some leftover ham, here are a few more of my favorite ways to use up ham and make the leftovers shine like they are brand new again!

  • Square picture of a white plate filled with a slice of egg and ham puff pastry with a full pastry in background.
    Ham Egg and Cheese Puff Pastry Breakfast
  • Top view of a skillet and white bowl filled with penne pasta, ham, and green peas.
    Pasta with Peas and Ham
  • Top view of a brown baking dish with cut pieces of an egg casserole.
    Ham Egg and Cheese Casserole
  • White plate filled with two waffles, ham, and an egg on top with cream sauce on top.
    Egg and Ham Savory Waffle Stacks

Favorite recipes that pair well with Split Pea Soup

Top view of a white bowl of split pea soup with ham and vegetables with fresh vegetables next to it.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that pair well with split pea soup. Although, just enjoying a bowl of soup on it’s own can be rather filling.

  • Chicken Chop Salad with Smoky French Dressing
  • Beer Bread
  • Honey Cornbread Muffins

If you make this Crock Pot Split Pea Soup recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!

Don’t forget to FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, and subscribe to my email list!

two white bowls filled with split pea soup with carrots and parsnips on the side.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is the perfect way to use up leftover ham and transform it into a hearty soup that is perfect for lunch or dinner. The soup slow cooks for 8 hours, resulting in a velvety broth chocked full of vegetables and ham.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Save Saved! Rate
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours hours
Total Time: 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 164kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • 1 Slow Cooker
  • 1 Ladle

Ingredients

  • 1 Ham Bone
  • 2 cups Ham diced
  • 1 16 oz bag of Dried Green Split Peas
  • 3 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 parsnips peeled and sliced
  • 2 white potatoes peeled and cubed
  • ½ medium onion diced
  • 3 ribs celery diced
  • 2 cloves garlic diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon season salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 cups water
  • ¼ fresh parsley diced and divided
  • 6 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

  • In a 6 quart slow cooker, place the ham bone, and split peas in the slow cooker. Then add the sliced carrots, parsnips, white potatoes, onion, celery, and garlic on top. Add bay leaf, season salt, and black pepper followed by 6 cups of water. Stir until everything is incorporated.
    1 Ham Bone, 1 16 oz bag of Dried Green Split Peas, 3 carrots, 2 parsnips, 2 white potatoes, ½ medium onion, 3 ribs celery, 2 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, 1 tablespoon season salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 6 cups water
  • Cook on low for 8 hours.
  • Once the soup is done remove the ham bone and add in the diced ham. Mix well, and add 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. Mix again.
    2 cups Ham, ¼ fresh parsley
  • Ladle soup into bowls and top with remaining fresh parsley and green onions (if desired).
    6 green onions

Video

Notes

  • Prep – You can prep all the vegetables except for the potatoes the night before. You can even place all the spices in the bag. This will allow you to throw this together in minutes come the next morning. I do this often!
  • Ham Bone – If you don’t have a ham bone, that’s okay. You can omit that part; however, the ham bone is what gives off so much flavor. You can use a pre-cooked ham to add at the end of your soup.
  • Make Split Pea Soup Vegetarian – You can easily make this split pea soup vegetarian my omitting the ham bone and diced ham. Instead, I would use vegetable broth instead of water to add a little flavor to the soup.
  • Toppings – Fun fact, I love to top my split pea soup with croutons! You can buy store bought or make a batch of my Garlic Bacon Croutons.

Nutrition

Serving: 1c | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 1322mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3923IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @KatieJasiewicz or tag #katiescucina!

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About Katie

Katie is a busy mom of 2 children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don't take hours to cook! She started her blog 15 years ago as a way to help others get cooking in the kitchen.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dawn Boutilier

    February 17, 2022 at 10:36 am

    This is all going into the pot now but I have a question. The directions state in step 1 and 3 to add the diced ham. Which is your suggestion? Thank you, I know it will be delicious!

    Reply
    • Katie

      February 17, 2022 at 12:01 pm

      Hi Dawn, oh goodness. Typo on my behalf. I suggest placing the diced ham in once the soup is cooked so it doesn’t dry out. You can do either but that’s just my preference! Good luck and thank you for catching that mistake! 😉

  2. Stacy P

    January 03, 2022 at 9:32 pm

    This is an AMAZING recipe! So delicious! I absolutely love the yummy flavors! The hardiness of the potatoes as they break down towards the end of cooking. The slightly sweeter taste of the parsnip added a nice touch. I used a spiral ham and 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth and 3 cups of water. Will definitely be making this again!!

    Reply
    • Katie

      January 07, 2022 at 5:22 pm

      Stacy, thanks so much for leaving a review and that you loved it so much!

  3. Kathy

    December 30, 2021 at 7:23 pm

    5 stars
    This split pea soup is a winner! The best one I’ve made. Used the left over ham bone from our Xmas ham. I did’t have any parsnips so I omitted that and it still was great.
    Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Katie

      January 03, 2022 at 9:33 am

      Kathy, thanks for taking the time to leave a 5 star comment! Parsnips are definitely optional. So happy you loved this recipe.

  4. Deb

    December 26, 2021 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    Super easy & delicious. This will be my go to recipe from now on for split pea soup!

    Reply
    • Katie

      December 27, 2021 at 10:39 am

      Deb, this makes me so incredibly happy to read! I love making my split pea soup in the slow cooker!

  5. Hillary

    February 28, 2014 at 1:14 pm

    My family loves this! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Katie

      March 03, 2014 at 3:06 pm

      Hillary I’m so glad they love it! 🙂 I’m making a ham tomorrow and will be using my ham bone and leftover ham to make this and freeze for when my baby arrives!

  6. Kate

    September 02, 2013 at 6:38 am

    STUPID QUESTION ALERT!!!
    The bag of split peas…….am I right to assume it’s a bag of DRIED peas!?

    Reply
    • Katie

      September 03, 2013 at 2:44 pm

      Hi Kate–yes! It’s a bag of dried peas. So sorry–I’ll add that in the recipe. Not a stupid question 😉

  7. Nutmeg Nanny

    April 03, 2013 at 11:33 am

    It’s so funny how your taste changes over time, I love split pea soup now too 🙂 this looks great!

    Reply
  8. ashley - baker by nature

    April 02, 2013 at 8:32 pm

    I have such a soft spot for split pea soup! Perfect to welcome the still chilly days of Spring!

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 02, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Ashley, I do now, too!

  9. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl

    April 02, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    This looks so good! I just might have to develop a vegetarian version :).

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 02, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Just omit the ham… I’m sure it will tastes just as good (maybe add a little more season salt/pepper)!

  10. dixya@food, pleasure, and health

    April 02, 2013 at 3:54 pm

    love this – however, I do not add ham to it. such a comforting, nutritious dish

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 02, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Oh I bet it tastes just as good without ham!

  11. Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough

    April 02, 2013 at 10:06 am

    I loOOoooOOOVve split pea soup! Seriously love. Even better in the slow cooker!

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 02, 2013 at 9:48 pm

      Thanks Stephanie!

  12. Paula@SweetPea

    April 02, 2013 at 9:44 am

    This looks delicious! We love split pea soup and I haven’t made it in a long while. My mom made a ham for Easter and is freezing the leftovers for me. When I get them, I’m making this for sure.

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 02, 2013 at 9:48 pm

      Awesome Paula!

  13. Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)

    April 02, 2013 at 9:40 am

    I love split pea soup, but never make it because it seems too hard. But in a slow cooker, EVERYTHING is easy!

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 02, 2013 at 9:43 pm

      Ashley–I was the same way! Just throw it all in the slow cooker and let it do all the work for you!

  14. Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain

    April 02, 2013 at 9:35 am

    Confession: I have never made split pea soup before. GASP! Now, with this recipe there’s no excuse!

    Reply
    • Katie

      April 02, 2013 at 9:46 pm

      Lauren–it wasn’t until last when I finally made split pea! Go and make it!

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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I'm Katie Jasiewicz: home cook, food blogger, and recipe developer. A busy mom of two children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don’t take hours to cook! My mission is to create easy-to-make modern comfort food for the busy family. (more)

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