Hearty Split Pea Soup

I just got finished eating.. Oh My Goodness, this soup is AWESOME! I looked at everyones reviews and took the best of all of them and came up with these hints... FIST and most important, if you are on a diet, just enjoy this recipe and don't try to alter it. Splurge... it's worth it! I browned bacon to use the grease to sautee the onions and then layered the ingredients. I used a hambone from Honey Maid Hams that I had left over. I also dumped in the bacon that I used initally. I also added shredded carrots and used more chicken broth than suggested.... I also added an extra 1/2 bag of peas half way thru the cooking time for added texture.... AND I think although alot of people skipped the milk, I think it is an important ingredient as it giives the soup a smoother texture and helps to thicken it, which helps with the additional liquid that had been added. It is delicious and satisfying! OH! and you can't forget to add crispy croutons to the top before you dig in!!! ENJOY!!!

I agree with all the other reviews. I followed the recipe layering etc. with just a couple changes: Used chicken broth, more than 5 cups, did not use the milk either, added my ham bone(ie why more than 5 cups broth) and forgot the bay leave. Put in crock over night. In the am, I sifted the bone and extra fat out. Gave it a big stir and OMG it was fantastic! It's for dinner tonight! I am having a hard time keeping my husband away from the pot! Thanks Deanna W.

Great! I used chicken broth instead of water and I believe 5 cups was not enough. I eyeballed it, and used more. It turned out fabulous though!

I changed the recipe a little because I wanted to cook it in a pot on the stove instead of the crock pot, but I used the ingredient portons exactly except I added 2 stalks of celery and about 9 cups of water to cover a ham bone. I cooked it on the stove for about 2 hours until it thickened up. It turned out deliciously. I didn't add the milk at the end -- didn't need to.

this was a fantastic recipe! i agree with other reviewers....more than 5 cups of liquid is needed. however, the flavor is amazing - i used 4 cups chicken stock and a couple more of water...milk optional. i also made a vegan variation by omitting the ham, doubling the carrots, adding a bit more onion and salt, and using vegetable stock in lieu of water and milk. my vegan friend and my picky husband loved it! this will become a standard in our house - never going back to the condensed version!

This was my first time making split pea soup and it was SO easy and turned out great!! I used chicken broth instead of water and added some chopped celery too. Also, I cooked it on low for about 8 hours because I was gone all day. Great recipe and super easy!!

The recipe delivered as promised, a hearty soup, and in the slow cooker, it was very easy. Prep time took alot more than 5 minutes, however, which didn't diminish my enthusiasm for recomending it. I even doubled the recipe, using 5 cups chicken broth and 5 cups water. I added celery, and didn't have bayleaf, so omitted that. I think next time I would add some ground rosemary or thyme and maybe some fresh parsley. It made enough to have leftovers, and freeze, as well.

So good and so easy! This recipe has become a permanent addition to our rotation. I did use chicken broth instead of water, but did not need to change the quantity of liquid.

Pretty tasty. I would recommend using chicken broth instead of plain water. I also added celery and a cup of rice which were nice additions. I substituted pork sausage instead of ham, and added a dash of smoke flavoring. The milk adds a nice creamy touch.

I left out the ham. Because I don't eat it but it was real good without it. I put in a little more milk because I needed it to be a little soupier. I ate it over cornbread. Yummy!!!!

Disliked that it was not ready in the time allotted (4 hours and 5 minutes). The peas did not split until 2-3 hours later...due to the fact that directions did not say to soak the split peas overnight. For a beginner cook, ALL directions need to be written down...otherwise, they will not know to do a certain step until they get more experience.

This was so delicious!! I have never tried split pea soup because of how it looked and my boyfriend talked me into it.. I must say.. It tastes sooo much better than it looks. mmm mmm good!

Best Split Pea Soup! and so easy to make. I used 4 c. of chicken stock (that's how much was in the box) and 1 c. of water. Also added some diced celery and a sprinkling of thyme. I like it thick and added 3 heaping Tbs. of instant mashed potato flakes after it was cooked to ensure a desired consistency for my taste and added 1 T. at a time and used the milk per individual serving and to each person's taste.

WOW! This is really good! and so easy to make too! I used 1% milk and added a large stalk of celery chopped and it was heavenly! I love the texture of this soup, my son was grossed out about the look of it, but the taste was great! :)

I made this exactly as written except I forgot to add the milk at the end. I had one cup of soup when it was done and was pleased with the taste. I remembered I hadn't added the milk so I added the milk, and had another cup. The second cup with the milk was MUCH better than the first so I think you'll be much happier with the taste if you add the milk... I give the soup four stars without the milk and five stars with the milk added.....

this is a great pea soup...reminded me of my mom's...i also added some marjoram (coz that is what she did) and like others added extra peas...oh yes a great soup for a cold winter day...was so easy to prepare and let the slow cooker do it's thing...thanks for sharing the recipe...;0)

Exactly what a pea soup should taste like! I didn't use a slow cooker b/c I realized there was just too much volume for my slow cooker, but it came out perfect anyway! I've been looking for a good tasting pea soup that doesn't require a ham bone, and this is def it. I bought and shopped up a tiny pre-cooked ham and used that. I love this soup - and it freezes well too.

This soup is the bomb diggity. It's the first 5-star rating I've ever given. The only subs I made were instead of water, I used bouillon. I used some bacon-esque "ham" that I fried first and then sauteed the onions in the oil. Everything else I left the same. I'm gonna make some more tomorrow.

very good...I used chicken broth instead of water. I don't have a crock pot so I used my leCruset dutch oven and placed in a 325 oven for about 5 hours and it turned out great...did not use the cream at the end as it tasted so good without it and I could lose the extra calories...

Used leftover ham I had in the freezer. Added a little celery because i could, and went with 4 teaspoons chick bullion along with the 5 cups boiling water. Cut down on pepper! Didn't need milk until i reheated the next day. 4 hours on HIGH in the slow cooker was perfect. *I used no-soak split peas (refer to cooking instructions on bag of Split Green Peas)* I think others that had undercooked peas may have had a different variety - not yet split- that needed soaking. Also, remember to add BOILING water.

Very good for those looking for a hearty and healthy meal. I used 7 cups of chicken broth and came out the perfect smooth consistency (not that thick, gunky stuff that split pea soup can sometimes be) from the slow cooker. However, after refridgering, it was too thick again. I just added a little milk to thin it out and it was fine. Might use more chicken broth next time though. It was VERY good and would make it again.

It's very very good!! This is my go to recipe! I always throw in a ham bone while cooking or use chicken broth instead of water

This soup was a delight for us to have and I thank you for making it available.

As someone who puts fresh garlic in just about everything, I have a hard time believing this, but I didn't like the garlic in this recipe at all. My husband agreed - the flavor of this soup isn't as good as a comparable recipe without the garlic. For me, it overpowered the earthy flavor that I love with split pea soup.

This was okay, I think next time I make it I will not add the bay leaves. Their flavor kind of over powered the dish. I love the idea of cooking it in a slow cooker and adding milk at the end. Thanks for sharing!!

AMAZING!! I made this tonight, omitting the milk, and using 6 c chicken broth in place of the water!

I sub-ed turkey ham for regular ham, added 4 stalks of celery, 5 cups of chicken broth, and 2 extra bay leaves. I can not say enough how rich, tasty this was on a cold fall night.

Been making split pea soup for years, but this recipe was better than the old- something about he layering, I think, made the consistency perfect.

Very good and simple soup. I thought this was missing something. It tasted just a little bland to me.

This was great.I added a few changes,after it was done i put it in a large pot,then i fried up some bacon and potato's and put it in the pot with some soy sauce.sooooooooo good.

I had some leftover ham, and was searching for a split pea soup recipe. This was a winner. Simple and delicious. The family loved it, and I will certainly make it again. The only thing I changed was that I left out the milk. It was pretty thick, so I might add more water next time. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.

Yummmm!!! SO DELICIOUS and EASY!! I used chicken broth as suggested. For you parents who work all day, this was my crockpot version: layer ingredients, as directed, the night before serving; place crockpot in fridge overnight. The next morning, take crockpot out of fridge and add more broth if desired (I added 6 cups total, and the end consistency was slightly thicker than jarred baby food). Cook on low ALL day (I cooked my 9.5 hours total). After that long in a crockpot, the split peas were cooked down so much that the soup had a pureed consistency. I loved that. Honestly, I forgot to add the milk, and we still loved it. Refrigerate leftovers; the next day, the peas will have absorbed more of the liquid & the soup will be thicker, like creamy mashed potatoes. Even better yet!!!

I halved the milk for the first day's serving. As the soup thickened over time, I added a little more hot milk to bring to right consistency, each time I reheated. (Also left milk out until serving time, so that it wouldn't spoil.) Thought the milk was a strange ingedient for pea soup, but it worked in nicely. Family said best pea soup ever.

Never had split pea soup before & I was looking for an option that was non-dairy. I made enough of this to bring to potluck where it was a huge hit!! I'll definitely be making it again & again for our family.

thanks for such a great recipie. its so easy too!

This is one of my favorite soups to make. Very hearty, healthy and comforting! I have a double batch cooking in the slow cooker as I write this review!

Yummy but i needed to add a lot more liquid- 4 more cups of chicken stock- in order for the peas to not be "crunchy"

Loved this soup! Thanks so much- it was SO easy to make. My mother has been making split pea soup since I was small- she tasted this & said she would use this recipe from now on. Next time I'm going to use a ham bone- thanks again!!!!!

I would leave out the onions carrots and probably the milk and bay leaf and use chicken stock, then it would be perfect o and a ham bone sounds delicious with some nice ham mmmmm mmmmm maybe some scallions at the end but i dont know o and a potatoe would probably be good i was thinking

Excellent recipe! I made this exactly as written with the exception of using low sodium chicken broth instead of water. This recipe is super easy to make and tastes wonderful! My husband could not believe I didn't use a ham bone to make it.

This was so good!! My daughter who abhors peas had 2 bowls of it!! I also shared it with our single neighbor guy. I doubled the recipe because we had so much left-over ham to use. We will have the left-overs tonight, and freeze the rest for another day.

My new go-to Split Pea Soup recipe. Really good and so easy! I used water the first time and it was perfect. Used reduced-sodium chicken bouillon the second time and it was too salty. Going back to water from here on out. Definitely add the milk at the end! My whole family loves this, even our 2-year-old.

This soup was a very tasty. I will put more vegetables next time. thanks.

Delicious!!! Split pea soup has been my favorite soup for as long as I can remember, and this was just phenomenal! I did read through the reviews before I made it, and I took some of the suggestions. First I added in a ham hawk, a few red potatoes, and I cooked some turkey bacon (I also used ham I cubed up) and ripped it apart and threw it in the soup. I also caramelized the onions in the same pan I cooked the bacon. I did omit the salt, because I didn't think it needed it. I also used about 9 cups of chicken broth. With all the extra potatoes, and ham hawk, it needed it. I also did keep the milk. Don't skip this part. It makes the soup a bit thicker. The one problem I had was that it didn't cook fast enough for me. I had it in the crock pot on high for 5 hours, but the potatoes and carrots were still not cooked through. So I transferred it into a big pot and cooked it for an additional 10 minutes on my stove. I served it with homemade biscuits! Perfect!

tastes like my mother's homemade split pea soup! yummy! i did however use chicken broth instead of water and added 2 stalks of celery. Enjoy! also, if you use chicken broth you do not need to add any salt, if you do it'll be too salty. (though still delicious)

Great slow cooker soup! I used my water and chopped leftover cottage roll. Came out a little salty but very yummy. Definately will find comfort in this recipe again. Thank you!

I made this for the reviews but was disappointed. I lost the recipe I usually use and didn't like this one.

Sooooo delicious! I used chicken broth in place of the water after reading other reviews. I also used my immersion blender for about 5-10 seconds in the end to make it thick and creamy. Next time I'll omit the salt since the ham added all this recipe needed. Served with grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches.

I boiled ham neckbones and used the boiling water from that. A smoked ham hock would work as well. I also added a little celery seed, extra carrots, a coarsely chopped golden potato, and a large jalapeno for spice. Bacon bits or grated cheddar cheese make a lovely garnish. Divine! With a soup this simple, there are endless ways to make it your own. You can't go wrong!

Delicious! I did make a couple of small substitutions, but I'm sure the recipe would be perfect just as is too. I used a smoked turkey leg instead of ham, because that's what I had on hand, and used a quart of chicken broth in place of most of the water to add more flavor. Also didn't add any milk because I thought it was really good without it. This is a super cheap, easy and satisfying dish. It's going to become a go-to dinner this winter.

This is an easy recipe with a delicious result. The soup is hearty without being heavy like others made with cream. I used chicken broth instead of water. 5 cups was enough, but I did soak my peas before making. I have a new go to recipe for leftover holiday ham. Thanks for sharing!

I added diced celery and potatoes and loved the idea of chicken stock that others suggested. Because I added potatoes I also added more salt. From reading the other revires, i'd like to add: Don't forget/omit the bay leaves, people, its necessary. I love pea soup and this recipe doesnt disappoint. Thanks!

Something went very very wrong here. I think, as it was such an easy recipe, that it was my variation. Instead of cooking it on high for 4-5 hours, I left it on low for 10 hours so it would be done when I came home from work. The peas were still a little hard, and I honestly don't know what went wrong. I ended up blending it in shifts, and it got the green, textured base typical in split pea soup. My friend loved it and even wanted the recipe, although I have a sneaking feeling that she was trying to make me feel better. I also put in 4 cups of water and 1 cup of chicken stock....although I don't think that would yield these results. Word to the wise, don't mess with the temperature settings....or use a crockpot from 1972.

This recipe is a keeper! I took the suggestion from a previous post to add chicken bullion to the 5 cups of water. I also used a lean turkey ham to cut fat and calories. I will definitely make this soup again.

Delicious. Crock pot all day and great meal tonight. Servedwith Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins also from this site.

Delicious! I took advantage of some of the other reviewers' comments and used chicken stock, ham bone and a bit of thyme. My husband and I really loved this soup. We tried it with the Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits and it was a great fall meal!

I threw in 2 pork chops instead of ham as that is what I had and I used chicken broth instead of water. This was delicious! Perfect for a snowy day in South Dakota!

Used ingredients as directed. Minimal prep time involved which I appreciate being a man cook. Used a ham hock I had and probably about another cup of meat. Used 2 cups of soup stock as well as 5 cups of water. After 8 hours I woke up this morning to a very nice, hearty, and tasty soup. I left it in the crockpot all day and I guess the beans must have expanded somewhat more. Soup had the consistency of mud by the time I got home from work. Not a problem 2 more cups of chicken stock couldn;t fix. I enjoyed it very much for my dinner this evening as well as my 10 year old daughter. She wants it in her lunch tommorrow. I will definetly make this again. Thanks for posting this very good recipe!

Very yummy! I followed the recipe. I liked the flavor a bit more before I added the milk, the milk mellowed out the depth of flavor a little to much for my taste. As is I'd score this more like a 3.5.

Glad I read the previous reviews and added more water. Was a big hit with everyone in the family.

Definitely use broth instead of water, but omit the salt. It will still be salty, so use 1 cup ham. Dice a couple small potatoes and add 1/4 cup sliced celery. I took a hand blender to this because I prefer a smooth soup instead of a "chowder."

I made this in the crock pot a week ago, doubling the receipe so I'd have more than enough to satisfy my appetite in the evenings during the work week. I did substitue a couple cans of chicken broth for the receipe's water amount. This was a very delicious soup! Great comfort food for a cold Michigan winter.

Really womdrful.. My spouse who says things are okay loved this soup and went back and had 3rds. I used chicken broth instead of water.. soup was great even this first night.

VERY GOOD, EXTREMELY EASY. I USED HEAVY CREAM INSTEAD OF MILK. GOOD GO TO RECIPE WHEN YOU'LL BE GONE ALL DAY

thick and rich. I added twice the ham for more substance and it was fantastic.

Great but made modifications. I made with chicken broth and added extra spices like a pinch of cayenne pepper. I did not add milk. A lot of comments about it being too thick but in my opinion that is how split pea soup is supposed to be :)

Absolutely loved this recipe! Didn't have bay leaves so just omitted them. Used fat free milk and left over ham from last holiday. Super easy and satisfying!

Made last night w/ 4-5 cups canned low fat/low sodium chicken broth & 1 cup water, omitted salt, and stirred in 1 cup milk prior to serving. Tonight I made w/out ham, w/o salt, and used 5 cups water then stirred in 1 cup milk. I enjoyed it both ways, and the milk seems makes a significant difference. Cooked on high for 3.5 hours, and the carrots & onions broke-up when I vigurously stirred in the milk: Very thick & creamy soup. I think pea soup's always bland/unexciting in taste, but this recipe has a 'touch' of Something which makes canned and restaurant versions pale in comparison. To me this recipe outshines both!! Thanks!

This was my first time making split pea soup...loved that I didn't need a ham bone for it. I used 4 C vegetable broth and 1 C water. I cooked it on high in my crockpot for 5 1/2 hours and some of the peas were still a bit crunchy. Also, my carrots were still not as soft as we like them...next time I will slice them much thinner.

Fantastic. Since I have a long, off hour work day, I followed the recipe as written, added a cup extra water, and cooked it on low in my slow cooker for about 9 hours. It was still done perfectly! The extra water gave it the perfect consistency and didn't let it overthicken with the lengthy cooking time.

I though this was very good, but my husband LOVED it. So much that I will round this up to a 5 because he was so happy and the kids even thought it was ok. I added a bit of extra garlic and used chicken broth. I used 6 cups, but then I thought the soup was to thin to add the milk, even though I wanted to. next time 5 cups, a little less salt if using a ham bone. I soaked peas over night, not sure if I needed to. Veggies were mushy - next time do 8 hours low.

Excellent! I have never made split pea soup, this was so easy and very good. I added the celery, used chicken broth instead of water and used 5 1/2 cups. Did not need the milk.

Followed directions except did not bother to boil the water and cooked on LO for 11+ hours (because that's how long I was at work!!). Excellent results! Added a dash of Tabasco and some addtl salt (another 1/2 t atleast) at the end. Used 1% milk, although I think whole milk would have been better for richer results. Thanks for a super easy and flavorful recipe.

This was pretty good. I made it for my husband who loves split pea but usually eats it from a can. I wish I would have read the review about adding chicken broth instead before I started making it. I did end up adding a cup of broth to it anyway. I also used a blender to mash up some the peas while leaving others unmashed to have the perfect texture. I doubt we will ever go to the canned kind again. Thank you for sharing!

Used a ham bone as well as some chopped ham; added a couple of minced garlic cloves and chopped celery; chicken broth instead of water and pureed at the end-delecious! Lots of compliments.

Other reviewers suggested adding some chicken broth in place of some of the water. I didn't have any so I just added some poultry seasoning and ground thyme to my water. I didn't soak my peas at all and put 10 cups of water in the pot with a ham bone. Followed the rest of the recipe as is. It cooked for about 8 hours on high while I was at work and the consistency was perfect! Hubby said it was the best pea soup I've ever made and it was the easiest..My kind of recipe, lol. Note: Peas will continue to thicken over time as they are a starchy veggie so you will have to add quite a bit more liquid to heat up the leftovers (if you have any, lol).

This was good, but man was it ever THICK! I don't have a slow-cooker, so I used my favorite Le Creuset Dutch oven in a 250 oven for about 4 hours. I omitted the onion and added some cubed potatoes and substituted 2 cups chicken broth for 2 cups water. Didn't use the hot milk...added more chicken broth instead. We both liked it, but the leftovers turned into a solid mass with "Zip-Loc" imprinted on the top. Heating it up in the microwave with additional water made it fine, though. Maybe the starch from the potatoes? Anyway, I'd definitely make this again.

It was good - but I feel it was missing something.....but I can't figure it out. The flavor was not as strong for my taste. I will try again but play with some additional spices for a bit more flavor.

THe best pea soup I have ever had.

Good soup! We sauteed the diced ham to get rid of the extra fat before adding to the crock pot. Followed directions exactly ,but we all thought it lacked a bit of salt and flavor. We tried another Split pea & ham soup recipe that required marjoram and the ham bone....everyone thought it had more flavor and liked much better than this one, however I will still rate this one a good recipe but just needs more flavor as it was a bit bland without the marjoram and ham bone.

EXCELLENT! Great winter soup. I did use chicken broth instead of water (3 cans). I also added celery and alittle bit of marjoram. Than I tasted it near the end and added cumin,parsley and basil. This soup is very filling and it really doesnt get any better than this. Well maybe alittle bit of crispy bacon on top:) Thank you! I will be making this every few weeks during the winter months.

I used country ham since it is what I had on hand - so no extra salt was needed! My husband doesn't like onions so I left them out and doubled the carrots (which seemed like the perfect amount!) He loved the soup and I will definitely make again - soooo easy! Paired it with an egg bread made in my bread machine and it was perfect!

I never thought of putting this in the crock pot. Makes it alot easier. Thanks. Good recipe!

Better than Bouillon makes a ham broth concentrate. I dissolved two tablespoons of concentrate in 7 cups of boiling water, used a ham bone on the bottom of the crock pot before layering all the other ingredients. I also omitted the salt because of the added salt in the broth concentrate. Very nice.

I followed the ingredients, except I added 2 good size sprigs of fresh thyme and 1 sprig of fresh rosemary and about a half cup of diced celery. I did not layer my ingredients. The thyme added wonderful flavor. Everyone loved it, even my stepson who does not like split pea soup.

Wonderful!! Tastes just like my moms! I love that it's healthy. It was cheap and easy and I followed the directions exactly.

This recipe is great for busy families. I make it at least once a month especially in the winter. It even makes great flavorful baby food for your little one, just process it up in a food processor a little more for them. My son doesn't like peas but he loves this soup. I've used the ham, sometimes bacon, or left over ham bone at the holidays and it always turns out amazing! Thanks for such a great recipe!

We tried this first with the ham, then without. Definitely better with the ham added. Very easy to make.

Yummy! This recipe is a very tasty! I used 5 cups of boiling low sodium chicken broth instead of the 5 cups of water, and when I purchased the bag of Split Peas it came with a ham flavor packet, and after adding the cup of milk I add SOME of the flavor packet to suite my taste. I did not add any salt - thought I would salt it if need be before serving it, but there was salt in the flavor packet. This is a real keeper - will definitely be making it again...soon! It was enjoyed by all, even the dog enjoyed it...LEAVE NO SOUP BOWL UNGUARDED!

I made this exactly as the recipe is posted and loved it! It WAS hearty and so easy to make! I will definitely be making this again on future cold winter days!

I used a ham bone with plenty of ham left on it and liked the way this soup turned out. I used a combination of chicken broth and water and forgot to add the milk at the end. I have made much better split pea soup but this gets five stars for being very tasty with minimal effort.

The flavor of this was excellent. The consistency, not so excellent. Made exactly as the recipe instructed, I ended up with a crock pot of yellow paste. It tasted great, but it was a bit disconcerting to be eating soup that resembled pudding.

awesome! i did use 4 cups chicken stock and 1 1/2 cups water instead of 5 cups water, and a little more than a cup of hot milk. great soup!

I've made this several times - DELICIOUS!

It had the best flavor -- I will make this again and again. It produces a lot so it goes in the freezer.

Amazing and so simple! I can't wait for dinner.

There could not possibly be a simpler way to make delicious split pea soup! I just tasted this at the Oregon relatives, begged the recipe and made it myself for the first time. Their version called for chicken broth instead of water -- but that's the only change I made. I agree that a little milk or cream added at the end makes a difference in the flavor and texture, not just the ratio of liquid. Happy to find the recipe on this site (as usual!). This one's going in my book!

So easy for anyone to make but I will try the chicken stock next time as I had to add some extra seasoning cause it was a little bland. Oh, I would not leave out the milk, I didn't and it added a smoothness to the soup. Very good, a real comfort food with a grilled cheese sandwich, yum, yum...

Couldn't be easier and tasted delicious. I used four cups of chicken broth and one cup of water but otherwise followed the recipe as written.