Classic Pea and Ham Soup

Classic Pea and Ham Soup. Warm up with this cozy pea and ham soup made right in your slow cooker! Soft green peas cook slowly with juicy ham and onions until everything turns thick, creamy, and full of flavor. It’s an easy meal that fills your kitchen with a yummy smell all day long. Perfect for cold nights, this soup is simple to make and even easier to enjoy with the whole family.

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours

Ingredients

• 2 bags (500g each) of green split peas
• 2 big onions, chopped into small pieces
• 1kg of bacon chunks, taken off the bone (or you can use leftover smoky Christmas ham) OR 2 to 3 large ham hocks
• 6 cups of water

Classic Pea and Ham Soup: Instructions

1. Wash the peas. Put the split peas in a strainer and rinse them under cool water. Keep rinsing until the water that comes out looks clear and not cloudy.
2. Skip the soaking step. These peas do not need to sit in water overnight. You can use them right away after rinsing.
3. Add the peas to the slow cooker. Pour the clean, rinsed peas straight into your slow cooker pot.
4. Add the onion and meat. Put in the chopped onion and the bacon or ham pieces. Spread them out evenly on top of the peas.
5. Pour in the water. Add enough water to fill the slow cooker until it reaches about 1 inch from the top. (For example, a 6-liter slow cooker usually needs about 6 cups of water.)
6. Turn on the slow cooker. Set it to HIGH and let it cook for about 8 hours. Check near the end of cooking — take out any fat and bones from the ham hocks, then shred the soft ham with a fork and mix it back into the soup for the last hour of cooking.
7. Stir sometimes. Every so often while it cooks, give the soup a good stir so nothing sticks to the bottom.

That’s it! Your warm, hearty pea and ham soup is ready to serve. 🍲