Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup, a classic, hearty, and healthy recipe made with dried peas, vegetables, and ham hocks for a rich, smoky flavor. Just toss everything in the slow cooker and dinner is done!

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Two bowls of Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with utensils and a salad beside them.

My mom and I are big soup eaters. She has been making me split pea soup since I was a little kid, and I have been making it for my family for years.

I will admit, it’s not the prettiest bowl of food you’ll ever see (or the easiest to get kids to try), but this green soup is delicious!

When I first made this recipe, neither one of my kids would even touch it.

Now, one of my boys gets excited when he finds out we’re having it for dinner! Even my husband, who is not a “soup guy”, enjoys Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup.

Not only is split pea soup delicious, it’s comforting, easy to make, and nutritious, too!

My mom usually makes hers on the stove, but I try to use my slow cooker any chance I get, so here is my version. It’s so simple, anyone can do it!

Slow Cooker Curried Lentil Soup is another great slow cooker soup featuring legumes!

A photo of the ingredients needed to make Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup.

Ingredients needed for this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):

Dried split peas – no need to pre-soak them
Onion
Garlic
Carrot
Celery
Chicken or vegetable broth
Smoked ham hocks OR turkey wings
Seasonings – bay leaves, poultry seasoning, salt & pepper
Chives – optional garnish

How to make Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup:

Making this soup is as easy as adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker.
Season with salt & pepper to taste, stir everything around and put the lid on. That’s it!

All the ingredients except for the ham hocks for Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup in the slow cooker.

All the ingredients, including the ham hocks, needed to make Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup in the slow cooker.

How to serve Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Whether you like to eat this soup in the chill of winter or all year long, there are great ways to enjoy split pea soup!

In the warm summer months, I like to enjoy this soup with a green salad.
When it’s fall or winter and I’m craving comfort food, I’ll serve this soup with a loaf of crusty French bread, Texas Toast, or focaccia bread.
To garnish the soup, feel free to add some sliced chives, crumbled bacon, or reserved ham.

Do I need to soak dried peas to make split pea soup?

No, you do not need to pre-soak dried split peas. Just sort through them to make sure there is no debris and add them to the slow cooker.

What kind of meat is in pea soup?

I use ham hocks or smoked turkey wings in this recipe because they add a great smoky flavor to the soup.

I have also made this recipe with leftover Easter ham or chopped ham steaks, however, you don’t get that yummy smoky flavor ham hocks provide.

Can you make split pea soup vegetarian?

Yes! Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

To get the slight smoky flavor the ham hocks provide, you can use a tiny bit of little liquid smoke and/or smoked salt.

Looking for more soup recipes? Here are some favorites:

NOTES:

I like to chop my veggies in relatively thick pieces for split pea soup so there’s some textural variety.
Ham hocks are a hit or a miss with meat. Some have tons of meat, some of them have barely any, however, smoked turkey wings are full of meat!
This post was updated 10/21/25 with new photos and a more clear recipe card.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup in the slow cooker before it's served.

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