Like a big hug from grandma, this old fashioned slow cooker split pea soup is chock-full of veggies, cubes of ham and yellow split peas for one comforting, belly-warming, meal!

Two bowls of split pea and ham soup, one bowl in front of the other.

I grew up on yellow split pea soup (as well as cod au gratin and boiled beans). My grandmother always made pea soup, typically with doughboys (which are flour-based dumplings plopped right in the pot on top of the soup; they cook up nice and fluffy).

I don’t serve my ham and pea soup with doughboys (though I enjoy them). I’d much rather save the belly room for another bowl of soup. You gotta weigh your foodie options, am I right?

Years ago, I’m talking about 20 years, when I wasn’t as experienced in the kitchen as I am now, I decided to make pea soup on the stovetop. After all, I grew up with the stuff, right?

Then, I went outside … to wash the car!

What?! Yeah, not good to say the least. These days I’d like to think I’m a little more sensible, but only by a tad. Ha!

My cooking skills have improved considerably since then. However, there are things I’d still prefer to be blissfully unaware of, ya know, like calories in a glass of wine or in a brownie, LOL.

Nowadays, I make my split pea soup in the slow cooker. And, guess what? I can leave it for a bit!! Ha!

How To Make Pea Soup

When I tell you this split pea soup is easy, I’m not lying (not that I’d ever do that to you, anyway, but you know what I mean).

You literally place all the ingredients in a slow cooker, turn on low and that’s it. Dump and go.

After everything has cooked, remove and discard bay leaves, add some butter and salt to taste. Nothing to it! Full details are in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for a slow cooker split pea soup recipe.

Do I Need To Soak Split Peas?

Nope! Just make sure before you use them to rinse and remove any rocks (yes, there could be some in the bag) or dark, inedible peas. Other than that, they just go in the slow cooker with the other ingredients.

Will Split Pea Soup Thicken as It Cools?

It sure does! This yellow split pea soup thickens considerably as it cools. When you go to reheat it on the stovetop, you can add a little more chicken broth or water, as necessary, until you reach the consistency you like best.

Ingredients for soup in the slow cooker before being cooked.

Leftovers and Storing

Properly store leftover split pea soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2 to 3 days. As mentioned above, this soup thickens as it cools. Reheat before serving.

Alternatively, you can freeze this split pea soup. It’s a great recipe to meal prep, which I often like to do. Here are some ways you can freeze this soup:

Vacuum sealer bags: After the soup has cooled, portion as desired into vacuum sealer bags (follow the instructions for your vacuum sealer to seal). Once sealed, place the bags onto a sheet pan and spread them out flat. Place the sheet pan into the freezer for a few hours or until the soup has frozen. Once frozen, you can remove the sheet pan and stack the frozen packages of soup neatly in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
Sealable freezer bags: After the soup has cooled, portion as desired into your favourite resealable freezer bags, leaving some headspace at the top of the bag for the liquid to expand as it freezers. Once the soup is in the sealed bags, place the bags onto a sheet pan and spread them out flat. Place the sheet pan into the freezer for a few hours or until the soup has frozen. Once frozen, you can remove the sheet pan and stack the frozen packages of soup neatly in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
Freezer-safe containers: After the soup has cooled, portion as desired into your favourite freezer-safe containers, leaving some headspace at the top of the container for the liquid to expand as it freezes. Cover with the container lid and freeze for up to 3 months.

Tip: Don’t forget to label the bag or container with the recipe name and date it was made so you’ll know for later.

When ready to enjoy, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

Reheating

To reheat, place the split pea soup in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. As you are reheating, if the soup is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or water to thin out the soup to your desired consistency.

Tips and Variations

Every model of slow cooker is different so your cook time may vary. I have a super basic one. It was actually a wedding gift and I treasure it. Also, don’t open up the lid if you don’t need to because it will increase the cooking time.
Brands and varieties of ham can vary in in salt content. Season soup to taste.
If you have a leftover ham bone, feel free to add to the slow cooker to infuse flavour. Just remove when the soup is cooked.
Don’t throw away those celery leaves! Chop some up and place in the pot. They have so much flavour!
Cut the celery, carrot and parsnip into roughly ½-inch chunks. This soup cooks for quite some time so you still want a little texture.
Yellow turnip (rutabaga) is pretty popular in Newfoundland split pea soup too. I didn’t use it here, but feel free to add some or sub out the parsnip.
Being a huge vinegar fan, when I serve myself a bowl of this stick-to-ya-ribs split pea soup I always enjoy adding a splash of white vinegar. Trust me, it works. So yummy!

More Easy Soup Recipes

If you make this slow cooker split pea soup with ham, be sure to leave a comment below!