Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup

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I know, I know. Split pea and ham soup may not have the most appetizing color, but trust me when I tell you that this soup is not to be missed.

Split pea and ham soup is one of those comfort foods for me. Sometimes, my mom would make it for me while I was sick in bed. As an adult I love a good warming bowl of split pea soup to help comfort me and warm me up on a cold, fall day.

What’s even better is that there is virtually no work involved in making this soup. A few weeks ago we had a food shortage in our house. I rustled through our pantry and freezer. I found some frozen ham and some split peas. I instantly knew what was for dinner, but I didn’t have the patience to stand over the stove stirring away, so I thought why not throw all of the ingredients into my slow cooker. This was a GENIOUS idea, my friends, because the soup got rich from the starchy split peas and the veggies got tender and dinner was ready in just a few hours with hardly any effort on my part.

I have officially become a slow cooker junkie! I recently made my Slow Cooker Smoky Pork Chili. Not only was that recipe divine, we had leftovers for days. Seriously you guys, obsessed!

This was the third time I made this soup within the last two weeks. The last two times it was good, but there was something missing that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Then I figured it out: my mom usually made this split pea and ham soup with a ham bone to add a nice smoky flavor. I, however, am not quite as resourceful as my mom and don’t have ham bones lying around in my freezer. Although I added some cubed ham, it didn’t quite have the same depth of flavor. On the last batch it hit me, why not add a few teaspoons of liquid smoke to give it a hint of smokiness the ham bone would have? That liquid smoke did the trick!

What I am trying to say is, split pea and ham soup has never been so easy! Simply chop up a few veggies and throw everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you. No ham bone? No problem. Liquid smoke to the rescue!

I know you will love Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup as much as I do. It’s hearty, bursting with split pea flavor, with a hint of smokiness, and is studded with chunks of salty ham. Picture it, you come home to a big pot of Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup waiting for you to devour for dinner. It’s like comfort food, health food, and convenience food all rolled into one meal!

I hope you give this recipe a try and if you do don’t forget to leave a comment below and rate the recipe. I love reading your comments; it makes my day! Enjoy, my friends!

Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup

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• Author: Emily Koch
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 5 hours
• Total Time: 5 hours 10 mins
• Yield: 6 to 8 1x
• Category: Soup, Entree, Easy
• Cuisine: Soup, gluten-free

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Description

Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup is a hearty, tasty, healthy meal that comes together without much effort. The slow cooker does all of the work for you!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups green split peas
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, peeled, and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 6 cups chicken stock (use ham stock if you happen to have it)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried, ground sage
• 2 small bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• Optional: few dashes of hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke (if you have a ham bone use that instead of the liquid smoke)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ham, cubed (I used pre-packaged cubed ham)

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients, except for the ham, into the slow cooker. Stir everything together to combine. Cook on low for 4 ½ to 5 hours or on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours. The split peas should be tender and slightly falling apart.
2. If you have a ham bone, remove it. Also remove the bay leaves.
3. Stir in the ham and allow to cook for another 10 minutes, just until the ham is heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings; you may want to add more salt and pepper to your liking.
4. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Reheat gently. If the soup gets too thick add a little water or chicken broth to thin it out.

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