Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup Recipe

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Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup / Crock-pot Green Split Pea Soup

It's soup weather these days and split pea soup is a family favorite. A crockpot or slow-cooker split pea soup means you add everything to the pot and let the slow cooker do its job unattended for hours. The resulting soup is wholesome, healthy, hearty and vegetarian.

As a kid growing up, my mom cooked lentils, beans, and legumes all the time. I can honestly say we had it at least twice a week in curries, patties or soups. Back then, mom, had these stocked in the pantry all the time, so there was always something to cook. Being a single mom, these were her lifesavers.

Also, the best part about lentils and beans is they don't take too long to dehydrate. Most of them need an hour in warm water, and they bloom nicely. And these days, with the instant pot or pressure cooker, means you can make them from dried to finished without any having to soak them first.

About This Split Pea Soup

I've shared quite a few soup recipes with you and I often say it is a favorite. We do have lots of favorites, and yet this one has a special place. It's simple and easy to make and my kids love it. The best part is that it's healthy and nutritious for the whole family. It's also wholesome and hearty, so a side salad and bread is all we need to make it a complete meal. And whether you choose to make it vegetarian or non-vegetarian, this one is bound to become a family favorite.

How to make the best split pea soup?

There are many great recipes out there. I make a few variations of the split pea soup. The truth is that it does not require a whole lot of ingredients. My mom had a simple process, and she cooked them on a stovetop.

She'd soak the split peas overnight in cold water. Then she washes and drains them well. In addition, she would saute onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Add soaked, drained split peas and stock. Simmer for 45 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. I think this is still the best pea soup I ever ate. Hearty and wholesome.

Let's talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

• Split Peas - What are split peas? The green split pea is the same as the green peas but processed differently. To make split peas, the green pea is peeled and dried. You can also get yellow split peas and that would work just as well for this recipe.
• Onion - I love red onions because they are sweeter and work great for soups. And yet, they also add a bit of color. Today I have used a white onion.
• Garlic - A little goes a long way. If you prefer you can also add 1 tsp garlic powder.
• Cheddar - A sharp cheese with a distinct flavor. And yes, you can substitute it with any other hard cheese as well.
• Bay leaves - I think bay leaves add an earthy flavor to the soup. You can also add oregano instead.
• Thyme - Dried herbs do great when cooking in the slow cooker. I usually use dried but feel free to use fresh thyme.
• Stock - Vegetable (chicken or beef) stock is perfectly fine. You can also add a cube of chicken stock with water.

Useful Tips and Tools

• Slow cooker or Crock-Pots are easily available these days and quite affordable too. They make meal planning so much easier than last minute stress of what's for dinner? If possible choose one that has the option to saute in there so you can do everything in one pot including browning the meat. My only regret is that I can't brown the meats or saute the onions in the same pot.  By the way, the Instant Pot has a slow cooker option too, and I'm pretty excited that I will be able to use it for slow cooking too.
• Chopping board andKitchen knife to cut veggies.
• Saucepan and spatula to cook the bechamel sauce.
• Soup bowls and soup ladel to serve the soup

How to Make Split Pea Soup in a Slow-Cooker or Crockpot (Save/Pin)

Prepare Split Peas (see notes)

• Check the split peas and sort for any unwanted peas.
• Wash and drain well (see notes above about soaking).

Into the Slow Cooker / Crock-Pot

• Add all slow cooker ingredients into the slow cooker.
• Split peas, onion, garlic, celery, parsley, bay leaves,  thyme.
• Season with salt and pepper - mix it all.
• Add 5 cups stock and stir well.
• Cover slow cooker and slow cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
  ( I like an almost smooth consistency, so I do 8 hours overnight)
• When you open the slow cooker,
• Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprig.

Mash or Don't mash

• You can leave the soup in this consistency.
• For a grainy texture use a potato masher to smash all the ingredients.
• and for a smooth soup use a hand blender (this is what I do).

Finish the soup

• Combine the cornstarch and milk well.
• Then add milk mixture to the pea soup and mix well.
• Finally, add the cheddar cheese - stir until well combined.
• Check and adjust seasoning.
• Serve garnished with more cheese or some whipped cream (optional).

Frequently asked questions

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Soup recipes

• Slow cooker potato soup
• Slow cooker black beans soup or curry
• Easy Healthier Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
• Easy homemade cream of mushroom soup
• Quick easy chicken pot pie soup
• Pumpkin sweet potato soup
• Maple pumpkin soup. 

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• Slow-cooked Mixed Bean Sprouts
• Crockpot beef in red wine sauce
• Slow Cooker Beef Goulash
• Crock-Pot Lamb Masala
• Slow-Cooked Roast Lamb Shoulder in Red Wine Sauce
• Indian Beef Curry in the slow cooker
• Slow cooker Mongolian Beef  or Mongolian meatballs 
• Honey Mustard Chicken 

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