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    Home » Recipes » Soup & Stew

    Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup (Slow-Cooker)

    June 6, 2019 • Updated: April 2, 2022 • by Renée • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Old-fashion Ham Bone Split Pea Soup | The Good Hearted Woman #souprecipe #slowcooker

    You just can't beat a bowl of thick, savory old-fashioned split pea soup with ham on a cold day. Comforting and hearty, this virtually bulletproof slow-cooker recipe is an easy, economical way to repurposed leftover ham and ham bones, too.

    Split pea soup in a blue pottery bowl, sitting on a weather pice of metal. Ornate spoon to the side.
    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love this Recipe
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • Soup Recipes
    • Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup

    Why You Will Love this Recipe

    Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup has been one of my favorites since I was a child, when my mom used to make it for us during the week following every "ham holiday" (i.e., Easter, Christmas, etc.). We make this split pea soup in the slow cooker four or five times a year, every year.

    I won't call our Split Pea Soup recipe completely fool-proof, because there is always that one cook... However, barring anyone who might try to substitute Skittles for split peas, it's about as close to fool-proof as you're ever going to find. 

    Split pea soup is an easy, economical way to repurposed leftover ham and ham bones. If you want to make soup and don't want to eat a whole ham to do it, you can often buy ham bones at your butcher's counter, or at Honey Baked Ham. (HoneyBaked ham bones are my absolute favorite for this making soup!)

    What Goes into this Recipe

    ★ Use fresh split peas. Old dried peas may not soften properly in the slow cooker.

    The Hambone Determination

    The type of ham bone you use will determine the underlying flavor profile of your soup. If you use a honey or glazed ham bone, your soup will be slightly sweeter. If you use a smoked ham bone (or ham hock), your soup will taste more smokey. Personally, we prefer our split pea soup on the sweet side, but it really is just a matter of personal preference.

    Overhaed shot of split pea soup. ingredients in slow cooker.

    How to Make this Recipe

    If you follow the directions and use the ingredients as directed, this recipe is virtually fool-proof.

    Rinse the peas and combine them with the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker.  Give everything a quick stir, and then set slow cooker to HIGH and cook 4-6 hours.
    If possible, stir it about halfway through.

    After cooking for 5-6 hours, the meat on the ham-bone should be falling apart. Reduce the slow cooker to LOW. If your soup seems too thick, add a little more water at this time.

    Using tongs or an extra-large serving spoon, carefully remove ham bone to a plate to cool. When the ham bone is cool enough to handle, remove any ham and return the meat to the soup.

    Meat stripped from ham bone. Meat in bowl, bone on a separate plate.

    Discard the ham bone. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve.

    That is literally all there is to it!

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    Like most soups and stews, split pea soup is always best eaten "the day after," when the flavors have melded, and the starches have had a chance to do their job as they naturally thicken the soup. 

    What goes well with split pea soup?

    Cornbread is the traditional favorite. Try our Sweet Skillet Corn Bread recipe, made with pan-fried corn. When we make cornbread and split pea soup together, we like to make extra pan-fried corn to sprinkle on top of our soup.

    Homemade biscuits are another favorite; or, if you want to lighten things up a bit, serve some fresh fruit on the side.

    Do split peas need to be soaked before cooking?

    The peas for this recipe do not need to be soaked.

    Overhead shot of split pea soup in bowl, cropped horizontally across the middle of the bowl.

    Soup Recipes

    Soup is one of our specialties!

    • Caribbean Chicken Stew
    • Virginia Peanut Soup (with 21 Topping Ideas)
    • Classic French Onion Soup
    • Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup with Ham (Slow Cooker)

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Split pea soup in a blue pottery bowl, sitting on a weather pice of metal. Ornate spoon to the side.
    5 from 8 votes

    Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup

    Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup is always dependably hearty, comforting, and easy on the budget. Oh, and it's delicious, too!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time:15 minutes
    Cook Time:4 hours
    Total Time:4 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 194kcal
    Author: Renee

    Equipment

    • Slow Cooker

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 1 pound green split peas about 2 ¼ cups
    • 1 meaty ham bone
    • 1 ½ cups chopped onion about one large onion
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons honey (or agave; or brown sugar)
    • 1 cup diced celery 2-3 stalks
    • 1 cup diced carrots 2 large or 3 medium carrots
    • 1 dash hot sauce optional
    • 6 cups water up to eight cups for thinner soup

    Instructions

    • Rinse peas, and combine with remaining ingredients in slow cooker.
    • Give everything a quick stir, and then set slow cooker to HIGH and cook 4-6 hours.
      If possible, stir it about halfway through.
    • After cooking for 5-6 hours, the meat on the ham-bone should be falling apart.
      Reduce the slow cooker to LOW. 
      If your soup seems too thick, add more water at this time.
    • Using tongs or an extra-large serving spoon, carefully remove ham bone to a plate to cool.
      When the ham bone is cool enough to handle, remove any ham and return the meat to the soup.
      Discard the ham bone.
    • Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

    Notes

    Split pea soup thickens dramatically with time, and is best "the day after," when the flavors have melded, and the starches have had a chance to do their job as they naturally thicken the soup. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2251IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

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    About Renée

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stacey says

      January 10, 2020 at 8:01 pm

      Mine came out wayyyy too thin and watery 🙁 I even put a bit less water then recommended

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        January 10, 2020 at 8:18 pm

        I wonder what happened? I've made more than 50 batches of this soup over the last decade (yes - really), and never had one fail. One thing to keep in mind: Split pea soup thickens dramatically with time.

        Reply
    2. Angela says

      December 03, 2019 at 11:13 am

      This is one of my favorite soups! This recipe looks delicious, can't wait to try it!!!

      Reply
    3. Neha says

      December 03, 2019 at 6:39 am

      This soup looks so warm and comforting! I need to add this one too my cooking list.

      Reply
    4. Jen says

      December 02, 2019 at 4:28 pm

      I’m always up for an easy and delicious soup especially on these cold days.

      Reply
    5. Paula @ I'm Busy Being Awesome says

      December 02, 2019 at 2:22 pm

      This sounds so yummy! perfect for the colder months

      Reply
    6. Lori Geurin says

      December 02, 2019 at 1:57 pm

      I love eating soup, especially in the colder months, and particularly hearty soups like split pea with ham. I haven't eaten this in so long and can't wait to try your recipe!

      Reply
    7. Shayla Marie says

      December 02, 2019 at 1:12 pm

      I've been looking for a tried and true split pea soup recipe, your's looks like all your recipes, WONDERFUL!!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        December 02, 2019 at 1:14 pm

        Thanks so much, Shayla! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

        Reply
        • Donna says

          December 27, 2020 at 5:45 pm

          Did you mean 2 quarts of water.? That is 8 cups. I made this exactly as your recipe stated and it was way too watery.

        • Renée says

          December 27, 2020 at 7:40 pm

          Thanks so much for your feedback, Donna.

          It's important to note that split pea soup is always best eaten "the day after," when the flavors have melded, and the starches have had a chance to do their job as they naturally thicken the soup. A soup that appears thin on the day it is made can be thick enough to stand a spoon in on the next.

          I'll assume that your comment was offered after that day had passed; in which event, I think the thin consistency you experienced could possibly be attributed to both the size of the ham bone and the quality of the peas used. In my own experience, I've noticed these factors can definitely influence the soup's density: dried peas are particularly finicky. I’ve had to add water when making this recipe; even when starting with eight cups (for a total of ten cups of water!). However, in light of feedback from you and other readers, I’m amending the recipe to start with six cups of water instead of eight, adding up to two more cups if necessary toward the middle of the cooking time.

    8. Tisha says

      December 02, 2019 at 11:56 am

      5 stars
      I haven't had split pea soup in forever! Definitely need to make a batch or this!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        December 02, 2019 at 12:31 pm

        It's so good - and so easy to make!

        Reply
    9. Erika says

      December 02, 2019 at 11:32 am

      5 stars
      One of my favorites and I love that it's made in the slow cooker.

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        December 02, 2019 at 12:31 pm

        The slow cooker makes it so convenient!

        Reply
    10. jenna | the urben life says

      December 02, 2019 at 11:11 am

      My husband would love this 🙂 I'll have to check out that skillet corn bread too. Looks delicious

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        December 02, 2019 at 11:15 am

        Split pea soup and cornbread are made for one another!

        Reply
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