Slow cooker split pea soup with ham hock is one of the easiest real-food dinners you can make, and it beats anything that comes out of a can. You need green split peas, a smoked ham hock, a few vegetables, and about six hours on low. No cream-of-anything, no seasoning packet, and no standing at the stove.
I made this the week my grocery store put smoked ham hocks on clearance. That’s usually the sign that it’s time for soup. If you’d rather watch than read, the full cook is in the video below.
Why This Recipe Works
- The ham hock does the heavy lifting. It gives the soup smoke, salt, and body as it cooks for hours. Canned soup can’t fake that.
- The slow cooker keeps it hands-off. Six hours on low breaks the peas down into a thick soup without any scorching on the bottom.
- Chicken base adds depth. Water alone makes a flat soup. A spoonful of good chicken base fixes that.
- Salt goes in last. The ham hock is already salty, so you season at the end when you can actually taste where you are.
The Ingredients That Matter
Split peas. Use green split peas and rinse them before they go in the pot. Mine were already rinsed, so I skipped it. If yours look dusty or you aren’t sure, rinse them in a strainer first. You don’t need to soak them.
Smoked ham hock. This is the star. A ham bone from a holiday ham also works. Diced ham works too, but you lose some of that deep, smoky flavor.
Chicken base. I use organic Better Than Bouillon. Of the affordable options I’ve looked at, it has the fewest extra ingredients that food shouldn’t have. A boxed stock works too. Plain water is the old-school way, but it makes a thinner-tasting soup.
Celery. I forgot to check if I had fresh celery before I started. Luckily I keep dehydrated celery on hand. Any time a head of celery starts going soft, I chop it and run it through the dehydrator, and now I have backup celery for soup. Fresh works just as well.
Bay leaves. People toss these in because the recipe says so, and most don’t know why. They add a background flavor you’d miss if it were gone. I like them enough that I bought my own bay laurel bush to dry my own. Yes, I’m that weird.
How to Make Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Start With the Water and Peas
Set your slow cooker to low and add 12 cups of water. Add 2 pounds of split peas, which comes out to about 4 cups. This is not an exact science, so don’t stress over a few peas.
Add the Chicken Base
Stir in the chicken base. I used about two big spoonfuls, and you can adjust from there.
Chop the Vegetables
Peel and chop the carrots. Rough chop is fine. These cook for six hours, so nobody will judge your knife work. My garlic was still frozen, so I gave it a rough chop and tossed it in. Add the celery, fresh or dehydrated.
Add the Ham Hock and Seasonings
Nestle the smoked ham hock into the peas. Add the bay leaves, the thyme, and a good amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Leave the salt out for now.
Let It Cook
Put the lid on and leave it alone. Give it a stir and a check once in a while if you’re home. After about six hours on low, the peas should be broken down and the soup should be thick and creamy. The ham should be tender enough to pull away from the bone.
Finish and Season
Pull out the ham hock and the bay leaves. Take the meat off the bone, chop it, and stir it back into the soup. Now taste it. This is when you add salt, if it needs any.
Tools I Used for This Recipe
- 7-quart slow cooker because this makes a lot of soup. Two pounds of peas and 12 cups of water need room, and the peas swell as they cook.
- Fine mesh strainer for rinsing the peas if yours aren’t already clean.
- Chef’s knife for the carrots and garlic. It doesn’t need to be fancy for rough chopping, but a sharp one makes it quicker.
Tips and Variations
- No ham hock? Use a meaty ham bone. Diced ham also works, but stir it in during the last hour so it doesn’t turn mushy.
- Too thick? Split pea soup keeps thickening as it sits. Stir in a little hot water when you reheat it.
- Too thin? Leave the lid off for the last 30 to 45 minutes, or mash some of the peas against the side of the pot.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge for about 4 days. It freezes well in single-serving containers.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the ham hock and use vegetable broth. It won’t taste like this version, but it will still be a solid soup.
What to Serve With This
Split pea soup is hearty on its own. A slice of crusty bread for dunking is all you need. If you want something crunchy, homemade croutons on top add a nice contrast. Try homemade cornbread or a simple grilled cheese next to a bowl.
Split Pea Soup FAQ
Do I need to soak split peas before cooking?
No. Split peas break down on their own in a slow cooker. Just rinse them if they look dirty.
Why leave the salt out until the end?
A smoked ham hock releases a lot of salt as it cooks. If you season at the start, you can easily overdo it. Taste at the end and add what the soup needs.
Can I make this on high?
You can, but low gives you a better texture. High will cook it faster, but check it earlier since the peas can stick to the bottom.
Can I freeze split pea soup?
Yes. Cool it first, then freeze it in portions. Add a splash of water when you reheat it, since it thickens in the freezer. In fact I make a big recipe list this so I can fill Souper Cubes and have extra frozen and ready to heat up any time I want some.
What can I use instead of a ham hock?
A ham bone or diced ham both work. A ham bone is the closest swap.
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse and pick over the split peas.
- Add the peas, ham hock, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme to the slow cooker.
- Pour in broth until the ingredients are covered by about an inch, stopping at least an inch below the rim.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the peas have broken down.
- If the soup is thin, uncover, switch to high, and cook 45 to 60 minutes more, stirring a couple of times.
- Remove the ham hock. Discard the skin, fat, bone, and bay leaves. Shred the meat and return it to the pot.
- For a thicker soup, pulse an immersion blender a few times, leaving some peas visible. Do not fully puree.
- Stir in the yeast extract if using, then add pepper. Salt only if it needs it, and finish with a splash of vinegar.
Notes
