This easy, nourishing, Crockpot Split Pea soup is made with simple pantry ingredients but the flavor is so rich, layered & comforting.
As-written, it’s naturally vegan, but you can make it with ham or a ham bone too!
about this crockpot split pea soup recipe
You know those dishes that take you right back to how you felt as a kid?
This soup is definitely one of those nostalgic recipes for me.
It’s the kind of soup that’s made for going back for seconds and dipping hunks of warm, crusty bread right into the bottom of the bowl to soak up every last drop.
After slow cooking for hours, the split peas get super tender and soak up all the aromatic flavors from the broth, vegetables and spices.
And the slight smokiness from the paprika makes it feel extra cozy and warming.
I love making this soup as an appetizer, or as a main course served with a big salad and bread on the side.
But it also makes amazing leftovers, and I love packing away a few portions for easy lunches that are ready for me to grab, heat & eat in the freezer!
process & tips
For this recipe, we’re using simple hearty ingredients that can stand up to a longer cook time, such as carrots, celery, onion and split peas.
Along with classic split pea soup ingredients like flavorful garlic, smoked paprika, bay leaves and vegetable stock.
Once you’ve chopped all your veggies, simply add everything to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 4-5 hours (or on low for 7-8 hours).
After it’s done cooking, you add a splash of red wine vinegar to lift all the flavors and you’re ready to grab a spoon & dig in.
It’s a true chop & drop recipe and there’s so many ways you can customize it to make it your own – including adding ham, a ham bone, bacon, potatoes, and more.
I’ll list some ideas for you below in case you want to try any of those fun twists at home!
If you don’t have a slow cooker, don’t worry – you can still make this delicious soup. I’ve also included stovetop instructions for you below (so you can keep your options open on busy weeknights).
crockpot split pea soup recipe variations
Split pea soup with ham: Add 2 cups of diced ham to the soup along with the split peas and vegetables prior to cooking.
Split pea soup with a ham bone: Ad 1 ham bone to the soup along with the split peas and vegetables prior to cooking. Remove and discard the bone after cooking.
Vegan split pea soup: Follow the recipe as written, being sure to use vegetable stock.
Vegetarian split pea soup: Follow the recipe as written, being sure to use vegetable stock.
Split pea soup with bacon: Saute 1 pound chopped bacon in a large pan over medium heat. Drain the bacon fat and discard or set aside for another use. Add half the cooked bacon to the soup along with the split peas and vegetables prior to cooking. Top the cooked soup with the remaining cooked, crumbled bacon.
Split pea soup with potatoes: Add 1 cup diced potato of choice, such as waxy yellow or Russet potatoes to the soup along with the split peas and vegetables prior to cooking.
Thick split pea soup: This soup is nice and thick, and will continue to thicken as it cools. If you prefer an even thicker soup ,remove 1 cup of the cooked soup to a blender. Carefully blend until smooth, then add back to the soup, stirring to combine.
Yellow split pea soup: Use yellow split peas in place of green split peas in this recipe.
Smoky split pea soup: For smoky vegetarian and vegan split pea soup, add smoked paprika, as specified in this recipe. For a traditional smoky split pea soup, use smoked paprika and a smoked ham bone.
ingredients & modifications
Split peas: I love split peas and lentils in soups. They’re great for adding hearty plant-based protein and fiber content to everyday meals, and a super economical pantry staple.
Onion: The classic trio of onion, carrot and celery adds so much flavor to homemade soups. But if you don’t like or can’t eat onions, feel free to skip them in this recipe.
Carrots: Whole, chopped carrots yield the best flavor for this soup.
Celery: chopped fresh celery works best.
Garlic: I love the flavor fresh garlic adds to this soup, but you could also try granulated garlic powder in its place.
Bay Leaves: While not absolutely necessary, bay leaves add extra flavor to the broth.
Smoked paprika: Smoked paprika adds a nice smokey note to the finished soup. If you don’t have smoked, sweet paprika can be substituted.
Vegetable broth: Use vegetable broth if you want to keep this recipe vegetarian and vegan. But you can also use chicken or bone broth in its place. Try homemade stock for an extra flavorful option.
Red wine vinegar: I love how red wine vinegar pairs with the other ingredients in this recipe. But you could also use balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar in its place.
Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
what to serve with split pea soup
Arugula or any mixed greens tossed with our Easy Apple Cider Vinaigrette or Lemon Dijon Dressing.
One Bowl Triple Apple Cider Spiced Muffins
Add some crusty bread, buttery croutons or grilled cheese on the side for dipping & dunking!
More fun topping ideas would be chopped flat leaf parsley, freshly ground black pepper, or a dash of hot sauce for a spicy kick.
Tip: Just before serving add a drizzle of olive oil over the top of your soup. It adds that extra bit of richness and a buttery flavor that makes it feel extra special!
how to store & freeze leftovers
Homemade vegetarian soups keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container.
This recipe also freezes well, store in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months.
more vegetarian crockpot soup recipes
Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup with Apple
this recipe is…
dairy free , egg free , gluten free , mayo free , nut free , soy free , vegan , vegetarian
I hope you’ll make this healthy Crockpot Split Pea Soup recipe soon.
If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!
Crockpot Split Pea Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound split peas rinsed and picked over
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 2 cups carrot diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced or finely grated
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 quart vegetable broth or chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- Optional: 1 ham bone or 2 cups diced ham
To add at the end
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Optional serving suggestions
- chopped flat leaf parsley, freshly ground black pepper, hot sauce, crusty bread
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the split peas, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, salt, broth, water and the ham or ham bone (if using) to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8. Do not remove the lid during the cooking time.
- Uncover, add the red wine vinegar, and stir to combine. Remove the ham bone (if using) and discard. Taste and add additional salt or vinegar if desired. Serve with toppings of your choice.
- Note that this soup may be on the thin side at first. In testing, I turned my slow cooker completely off at the end of the cook time, leaving it covered in the slow cooker for an hour. During that time it cooled slightly and was significantly thicker, making it the ideal thickness. For this reason, if you like a thicker soup, I recommend allowing an additional hour for cooling when making this recipe.
Stovetop Instructions
- Add the split peas, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, salt, broth, water and the ham or ham bone (if using) to a large pot or Dutch oven, stirring to combine.
- Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook on low for 40-50 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through and the soup has thickened.
- Uncover, add the red wine vinegar, and stir to combine. Remove the ham bone (if using) and discard. Taste and add additional salt or vinegar if desired. Serve with toppings of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
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