Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Easy split pea soup recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Loaded with tender green split peas, broth, garlic, bacon and vegetables. Also known as green pea soup.

This soup offers the best flavor of saltiness from bacon that's balanced perfectly by the sweetness of the vegetables. It's warm and comforting, especially during Fall, just like this Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Soup.

How To Make Green Split Pea Soup In The Slow Cooker/Crockpot?

1. Add all ingredients in crockpot- This includes split peas, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, turmeric, broth.
2. Mix- Until combined.
3. Cover and cook- Until lentils and vegetables are tender.
4. Discard ingredients- This includes bay leaves, thyme and rosemary sprigs.
5. Garnish- Sprinkle cooked bacon bits and parsley and dig in.

Storage

Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Freeze- In a freezer safe container or bag for up to 1 month.

Reheat– In the microwave or on the stovetop.

What Sides To Serve With Homemade Split Pea Soup Recipe With Bacon?

One classic pairing for any soup is bread that you can use for dipping. Try ciabatta bread, breadsticks, garlic bread, dinner rolls, or even biscuits.

Another classic side is a sandwich. Try it with a vegetable sandwich or grilled cheese sandwich or even a tomato sandwich.

Salads are also a wonderful combo with this soup and really complete the meal. Try pumpkin salad or a harvest Fall salad.

Croutons are another option. They can be seasoned or just plain.

Vegetables are always a great healthy side dish. Try a medley of roasted vegetables or just simple roasted carrots or broccoli.

Variations for Green Pea Soup

Split pea and ham soup/Split pea soup with ham bone or ham hock- Skip the bacon and use ham, ham bone, or a ham hock to flavor the soup.

Vegan/vegetarian split pea soup- Skip the bacon and use vegetable broth.

Make it creamy- Add heavy cream, half and half, or full-fat coconut milk at the end to make it thick, rich and creamy.

Add vegetables- Such as green beans, zucchini, or bell peppers.

Add other meat– Such as chicken, beef, sausage, or even leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Toppings and garnish options– Such as a dollop of sour cream, croutons, shredded cheese, slivered almond, fresh herbs, crumbled bacon.

Make it spicy– Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.

Add lentils – Use any lentils of your choice. Add them when you add the broth, and this will make the soup even heartier.

Add other spices– Curry spice would be delicious! Even a dash of nutmeg would add a lot of flavor.

Tips And Techniques

Do split peas need to be soaked before cooking? No, they just need to be rinsed for this recipe. Soaking is not necessary.

Are split peas and lentils the same thing? No, they are from different plants. They are both in the legume family though.

How to thicken soup? Simmer the soup until some of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is reduced. You can also cook and blend in potatoes to add thickness. Adding heavy cream will also help thicken the soup.

How to make soup thinner? Simply stir in more broth or water.

Is turmeric optional? It is optional, but I highly recommend it. I love the subtle flavor and tinge of yellow color it adds to the soup. Otherwise, the color of the soup can be less than appealing.

Watch the amount of salt being added– Bacon adds quite a bit of saltiness. It is better to add a little salt in the beginning and then, add more at the end after tasting it, if needed.

Serve it hot or cold? I prefer this soup hot. It becomes very thick when it is chilled and so it is not the best texture (in my opinion).

Do I cook on Low or High heat? High heat for 4 hours or Low heat for 6-8 hours or until peas are cooked through and very soft.

Do I need to stir the soup while cooking? Yes, be sure to stir every few hours for even cooking.

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

• Slow Cooker Meatball Soup
• Slow Cooker Brown Lentil Soup
• Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Recipe