Healthy Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

This delicious and healthy slow cooker split pea soup requires just 5 minutes of prep time and contains 21 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein in just one bowl!

Growing up in Southern California, my parents would always take my brother and me to Pea Soup Andersen’s for their famous split pea soup whenever we were in the area.  I loved going there because I was a big fan of eating at restaurants with my family and this particular restaurant had tasty bread and pea soup —  so what’s not to love?

Thinking about it now, it had probably been a good 15 years since I either ate at Pea Soup Andersen’s with my family or even had pea soup.

Wowza, that’s kinda insane.

All of a sudden, a couple months back, I had a craving for split pea soup.  I thought back on how much I enjoyed my dinners and lunches out with my family and had a pang for California and the past.  I decided I wanted to try making this old favorite for myself.

Naturally, I turned to my trusty slow cooker.

And, as always, it certainly didn’t let me down. Just like it didn't for this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup and my Healthy Slow Cooker Beef Stew - Perfect Make Ahead Dinner Idea!.

Here’s to making new memories, reliving old, cherished memories, and being healthy all at the same time.  And slow cookers. And, of course, slow cooker split pea soup.

HOW TO MAKE SPLIT PEA SOUP IN A SLOW COOKER

I had actually never purchased split peas before so this was all very new to me.  I learned you can get a great deal on split peas in the bulk section, which is awesome because I will absolutely be making this recipe for years to come.

Wondering how to make split pea soup in a crockpot?

This split pea and ham soup slow cooker recipes seriously couldn’t be any easier.  You literally add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and then walk away while it cooks up one of the most fabulous, heart-warming, and rich split pea soups you’ve ever had the fortune to eat.

And, remember, I grew up on the stuff.

How to thicken split pea soup

I never ran into this problem but if the slow cooker split pea soup doesn’t have your desired consistency because you accidentally added too much water, you can easily fix it by…

• adding pureed peas to the watery split pea soup and stirring until the soup reaches the desired thickness;
• mixing 1 tablespoon of whole-wheat flour with 3 tablespoons of water and adding the mixture to the split pea soup. Stir until the soup reaches the desired thickness.

Now that you know how to make split pea soup in a slow cooker, let’s discuss what to serve with split pea soup. You can opt for:

• ham – as I did;
• pita or another type of healthy bread (homemade croutons are also great);
• fresh herb such as parsley to garnish the soup.

WHAT IS SPLIT PEA SOUP?

Split Pea Soup is a satisfying and hearty soup, made with split peas and, usually, ham bone or ham. Holiday leftover ham is amazing in split pea soup BTW. A sweet, smoky, comforting bowl of deliciousness, in other words.

What are split peas?

Not sure what’s the difference between peas and split peas, well, split peas are dried, peeled, and split in half peas that are used in various dishes including curries and soups.

IS SPLIT PEA SOUP HEALTHY?

All in all, this is one extremely tasty, hearty, and filling soup.  I love how healthy split pea soup is and how good for you as well – just one bowl of this soup will not only fill you up, but it will provide you with 21 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein, among tons of other nutritional goodness.  Not too bad, my friends.

One of the best things, I’ve found, about making your own split pea soup using a slow cooker is that you can control the salt content and the amount of meat.  The split pea soups I’ve had in the past weren’t chock full of delicious, tender ham – but just dusted with it.

Fixed that problem and then some!  I also didn’t need to add a single drop of salt, since I used the natural saltiness of the ham to season the soup which worked perfectly. Love it when I reduce the need for salt!

Split Pea Nutrition

Let’s take a look at the split peas nutrition to better understand the amazingness of split peas, shall we?

Split peas…

• are low in calories – only 231 calories per cup;
• are a great source of protein;
• are a great source of fiber;
• contain vitamins including:
  • vitamin K;
  • vitamin A;
  • vitamin B;
• are rich in minerals such as:
  • iron;
  • magnesium;
  • manganese;
  • phosphorus;
  • potassium;
  • zinc.

HOW TO MAKE VEGETARIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP

This split pea soup recipe is made with ham but if you’re looking for how to make split pea soup without ham or pork, it’s very easy to do.  You’ll just need to not add it in. You’ll still have all the flavor of the vegetables, and the protein from the split peas and other veggies.

To make vegetarian split pea soup, you can also replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

HOW LONG DOES SPLIT PEA SOUP LAST?

If you store it in an airtight container, split pea soup lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Since this split pea soup recipe makes quite a lot of split pea soup, you’ll likely find yourself with plenty of leftovers. The good news is you can easily freeze leftover slow cooker pea soup for quick family meals or in pre-portioned, nutritious lunches.   Here are some tips for how to freeze split pea soup:

Allow the soup to cool completely. Since slow cookers retain heat very well, you may want to transfer to a large bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool more quickly.

Freeze in either gallon– or quart-sized freezer bags or freezer safe containers for easy thawing and storage.

Leave enough space at the top of the bag to allow for expansion during freezing. Squeeze as much air as possible out of the top of the bag and seal securely.

Place the soup-filled freezer bags in the freezer, in a single, flat layer (using a rimmed baking sheet is helpful). Allow to freeze completely. Then, stack them on top of each other or standing side by side.

Thaw bags of frozen split pea soup in the refrigerator overnight.

3 MORE HEALTHY SLOW COOKER SOUP RECIPES

If this slow cooker split pea soup made you excited about slow cooker soups, I have 3 more healthy slow cooker recipes that are just as good as this split peas soup. Learn more about them and get your slow cooker ready for more deliciousness.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is healthy, hearty, and flavorful. The soup is also comforting and perfect for weeknight Winter dinners.

The Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is made with fresh ingredients only which makes it more flavorful than usual and it is topped with cheese for even more flavor and texture.

SLOW COOKER HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Another great slow cooker soup is this Slow Cooker Hot And Sour Soup that takes only 10 minutes to prep. The soup is healthy, clean, and totes delicious.

Only 206 calories per serving, 17 g of protein, and only 14 g of carbs in a bowl of yummy you can enjoy for lunch or a light dinner.

CROCK POT CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

If you love enchilada, this Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup is for sure a soup you’ll love. A lot.

Rich, savory, yummy but low-carb and healthy, the Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup is a great way to enjoy enchiladas without feeling guilty or without compromising your healthy diet.

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