by Diana Rattray
This thick and hearty pea soup brings back childhood memories of the soup my grandfather cooked for logging crews in the Northern Maine woods. The soup was made with yellow split peas and was served with loaves of his freshly baked homemade bread. It was a “stick-to-your-ribs” dish—it satisfied lumberjacks!
This soup is made with a leftover ham bone, but meaty smoked ham shanks or ham hocks will work as well. For a meatier soup, add some sliced smoked sausage or extra leftover ham. The peas should melt down to make a thick soup, but you may mash them if it isn’t thick enough. Or puree it in the blender (about 2 cups at a time) before you add the chopped or shredded ham back to the soup.
I have made this version with green split peas, but yellow split peas may be used for a traditional French Canadian soup.
PrintSlow Cooker Pea Soup
Use your slow cooker to make a warming split pea soup. Serve this rich, hearty soup with seasoned croutons for a fabulous lunch or dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Split Peas, Slow Cooker Soups
- Method: Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried split peas
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup chopped celery with leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock, preferably unsalted)
- 3 cups water
- Meaty ham bone or shank or 2 large ham hocks
- Chopped fresh parsley and croutons, for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the peas in a colander; pick out any damaged peas.
- In the slow cooker, combine the peas, carrot, onion, chopped celery, thyme, salt, pepper, stock, and water.
- Add the ham bone or shanks to the pot; push them in to cover with the liquids.
- Cover the pot and cook the soup on low for 8 to 9 hours, or until the peas are very soft.
- Remove the ham hocks or meaty ham bone to a platter; skim fat from surface of the soup.
- Remove the ham from the bones and chop or shred it. Return the ham to the soup.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Ladle pea soup into 6 bowls.
- Garnish each serving with croutons and chopped parsley, if desired.
