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Home » Dinner » Slow Cooker Split Pea Stew

Slow Cooker Split Pea Stew

by Sarah Olson on December 19, 2016 | Updated November 4, 2020 33 Comments

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Classic creamy split pea soup with chunks of hearty vegetables and ham. If you are a split pea lover you must try this recipe.

close up of split pea soup in a slow cooker with large wooden ladle in it.

Hi all! Do you love split pea soup? I’m guessing you do if you clicked to get here to this recipe. I love split pea soup, but it seems not quite enough to be a complete meal. I added loads of thick-cut veggies to my classic split pea recipe and made it a thick and satisfying stew.

This recipe is great for using leftover ham, and if you have a leftover ham bone, use that too in this recipe. I had tons of leftover ham after making my Slow Cooker Apple and Clove Ham, that leftover ham worked great in this recipe.

uncooked split pea stew in a slow cooker.

In addition to the split peas, ham and veggies I add bay leaves, black pepper and dried thyme. I can’t make split pea without dried thyme, it really makes the flavor of the split peas pop. Make sure to use the dried leaf thyme, not ground.

split peas, ham, red potatoes, carrots, onion, and seasoning in a slow cooker.

I also add 7 cups of chicken stock, this may seem like a lot, but it’s just the right amount for the peas to melt into to and have enough broth for the veggies without being too thick.

scoop of split pea stew coming from a slow cooker.

I was pleasantly surprised how good the potatoes tasted in this soup, a match made in heaven with the creamy peas.

ultra close up shot of split peas stew with large chunks of carrots and potatoes.

This is my new favorite soup, I can’t get enough of it! Though my 7-year old wouldn’t touch this soup with a 10-foot pole, I think someday she’ll come around to love split pea soup as much as my husband and I do.

3 bowls of split pea stew on a wooden table.

See my other slow cooker soup recipes here:

  • Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Slow Cooker Homemade Potato Soup
  • Slow Cooker Potato Cheese Soup
  • Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken White Bean Soup
  • Slow Cooker Cauliflower Cheese Soup
  • Slow Cooker Maine Corn Chowder
  • Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup

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split pea stew in a slow cooker with wooden ladle in it.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Stew

4.67 from 6 votes
Classic split pea with big chunks of veggies to make it even heartier.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: split pea stew
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 9 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 225kcal
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

  • Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. dry split peas
  • 7 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups ham pieces or cubed ham
  • leftover ham bone optional
  • 4 cups quartered baby red potatoes
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 4 carrots, sliced large
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced large
  • 1 tsp. dried leaf thyme
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 bay leaves
US Customary – Metric

Instructions:

  • Add everything to the slow cooker, stir.
  • Cover and cook on LOW For 8-9 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
  • When the cooking time is up remove and discard ham bone (if used) and bay leaves.
  • Stir the soup gently until the spit peas melt throughout the stew.
  • Serve and enjoy!

How to Video:

Recipe Notes:

Recipe values are approximate, please use your own calculations if you require a special diet. Values are for 1/10 of recipe.

Nutrition:

Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 938mg | Potassium: 838mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4220IU | Vitamin C: 18.3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2.9mg
Made this recipe?I want to see your photos! Tag me on Instagram @themagicalslowcooker
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    Filed Under: Dinner, Pork, Soups Tagged With: Crock pot, crockpot, slow cooker, soup, split pea, stew

    Comments

    1. Maureen King says

      December 16, 2020 at 5:10 pm

      3 stars
      Looked so delicious. But the thyme leaves ruined it for me. I had to toss the entire thing. I will use the recipe again without the thyme leaves and add a bit of garlic. Anyone who likes thyme leaves will love this stew.

      Reply
    2. Carolyn says

      November 12, 2020 at 9:49 am

      Can I cook in slow on high for 5 hours?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        November 12, 2020 at 9:54 am

        Yes, that should work fine 🙂

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          November 12, 2020 at 11:22 am

          Thank you

          Reply
    3. Karin says

      September 23, 2020 at 11:31 am

      Can I use kielbasa instead of ham?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        September 23, 2020 at 12:57 pm

        Yes, that will work great.

        Reply
    4. Susan says

      August 25, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      5 stars
      DEVINE

      Reply
    5. Courtney says

      January 5, 2020 at 9:14 am

      Do you peel the potatoes? It looks like it but not sure.

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        January 5, 2020 at 9:24 am

        I did not

        Reply
    6. Rebecca says

      September 29, 2019 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      Made this yesterday, so good! I veganized it by using vegetable broth and omitting the ham. I used green onion as that’s what I had on hand, and also added a few cloves of garlic. It just started snowing here yesterday and this really warmed me up! Thanks for a great recipe, so simple and delicious. Will def. be making again 😀

      Reply
    7. Katy says

      August 13, 2019 at 7:47 pm

      Wondering if the recipe could be cut in half? If so how long would I cook for? If not does it freeze well? I’m just cooking for one and want to make this my lunch for the week, so don’t need 10 servings. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        August 13, 2019 at 8:13 pm

        Hi Katy, if it was me I would put half of the ingredients in the crock pot and half in a ziplock bag (before cooking). Freeze the other half and cook another day. I’ve done that before works great with split pea soup. I think you’ll enjoy it better this way instead of freezing after cooking.

        Reply
        • Katy says

          August 14, 2019 at 5:08 pm

          Awesome! Thanks for the tip

          Reply
    8. Debbie Brown says

      April 24, 2019 at 9:28 am

      I made this yesterday. Cooked for 8 hours, stirred and it was perfect. Peas were soft and everything was blended well. I found that it did not have that good “pea” taste – I’m thinking the chicken stock took that away. Wondering if it would be better if you just used water like I do my regular split pea soup on the cook top. Other than that, it made a great meal.

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        April 24, 2019 at 3:02 pm

        You could do water, and add salt to taste at the end of the cooking time.

        Reply
    9. Paul A Jackson says

      March 20, 2019 at 10:57 pm

      Would this work with lentils or pearl barley or similar

      Reply
    10. SCV says

      September 8, 2018 at 12:34 am

      Hi Sarah I’m looking forward to making your Slow Cooker Split Pea Stew real soon and my husband was looking on with me and he wanted to know what kind of bread t that you are showing in your pictures he thought it look good.?

      Reply
    11. iluminameluna says

      August 11, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      My recipe is similar except I don’t add onions or carrots because the peas are sweet enough on their own. Instead I add about half a head of garlic only. Doesn’t taste garlicky, just super robust and mellow. No chicken broth of if us a ham bone either. Same reason, too much sweetness.

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        August 12, 2018 at 9:05 am

        Thankyou so much for the tips!

        Reply
    12. Patricia Roulston says

      August 7, 2018 at 8:08 pm

      If you buy some peas bulk in New Zealand they are sometimes processed on arrival under extremely high heat to make sure they aren’t carry pests. This process makes them incredibly difficult to soften. So, sometimes it is best to buy recognised brands that have an agreement that on importation their peas do not go through this process

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        August 8, 2018 at 10:13 am

        thanks for the tips. I’ve never thought of that! I wonder if beans are the same.

        Reply
    13. Niki says

      March 22, 2017 at 10:49 am

      if you like this – you’d love Newfoundland Pea Soup and Dumplings! It’s almost the same! I bet you could cook the dumplings right in the slow cooker as well, as traditionally they are cooked on top of the soup before eating anyways. Delish.

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        March 22, 2017 at 11:09 am

        Oh my goodness Niki, I’ve never heard of that, but now I must research and make it in the slow cooker. Thank you so much!

        Reply
        • Niki says

          March 23, 2017 at 8:13 am

          In some parts of the Island we call the dumplings “doughboys”. That’s what I grew up calling them. 🙂

          Reply
        • D D says

          November 16, 2017 at 2:38 pm

          Hi Sarah, I am cooking for a client, can I cook on high? how long…. please reply asap, I go in tomorrow @9am pct ddra2010 @ yahoo com…. thanks

          Reply
          • Sarah Olson says

            November 16, 2017 at 3:07 pm

            probably about 6 hours on high.

            Reply
    14. Fenella Brammer says

      February 20, 2017 at 11:43 pm

      Hi, what colour are the peas ? We have 2 here in UK

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        February 21, 2017 at 8:17 am

        Green. We have two here, but rarely use the orange kind.

        Reply
    15. Olga says

      December 22, 2016 at 5:07 pm

      I made this soup and the peas are not softening. I have now cooked it for over 9 hours. Any ides?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        December 22, 2016 at 8:13 pm

        Did you leave the lid on the entire time? I don’t know why they wouldn’t soften, unless they were old. I just read online that peas in bins don’t soften as well as peas in 1lb bags. Just some ideas.

        Reply
        • Anonymous says

          October 19, 2018 at 10:25 am

          Soak peas in water overnight then drain to get rid of water, before putting peas in slow cooker.

          Reply
      • Margarette Karasz says

        February 9, 2017 at 2:36 pm

        You can soak the peas overnight. I do this also with white beans for bean & ham soup

        Reply
      • Alyssa says

        September 14, 2019 at 5:24 pm

        I made this dish tonight and had the same issue of peas not softening. Bought them in a 1 lb bag. Guess I’ll try soaking them overnight next time. It has a great flavor, though!

        Reply

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