Name: Slow Cooker Pea and Ham Soup Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 495 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 800g ham hock; 1 brown onion finely diced; 2 Carrots, chopped; 2 celery sticks chopped; 2 cups yellow split peas rinsed; 1 bay leaf; 10 cups water

by Natasha Shaw Last updated on 05/15/2025

Thick and fulfilling, not to mention tasty as all get-out, pea and ham soup is one of the most popular winter soups. This set-and-forget version makes this soup easy-peasy – you don’t even need to blend it! A little crusty bread for dunking and you’re good to slurp on any cold evening.

How to make a slow cooker pea and ham soup: key tips

Place your ham hock on top of the vegies in the slow cooker. The vegies will act as a bit of a buffer between the ham and the base of the cooker so that it doesn’t stick and cook unevenly.

When the ham is tender enough that the meat easily comes away from the bone, carefully lift the bone from the broth and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle. Remove all the meat from the bone, and any fat, and shred it using 2 forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker, or save it for topping the soup when you’re ready to serve.

Stirring the soup at the end of cooking will give you a slightly chunky soup which is fine to enjoy as is. However, if you prefer your soup lovely and smooth, use a stick blender to blitz the soup in the slow cooker before returning any ham.

Key ingredients in this slow cooker pea and ham soup recipe

This recipe is for an 800g hock. If you use a smaller hock, then you’ll need a little less water, otherwise your soup will be too watery and you’ll need to reduce it by cooking with the lid off for a while.

Yellow split peas don’t need to be pre-soaked, unlike other pulses, which makes this soup super convenient. They can be bought from the supermarket and have a soft texture and a mild, earthy flavour. You can swap them with green split peas, if you like, which are a little stronger in taste, sweeter, and a bit less starchy. They both soften nicely when cooked.

This soup is also packed with winter vegies – onion, carrot and celery – to enhance the flavour of the soup and add goodness, too.

If you like the sound of this recipe, you might also like this caramelised pumpkin soup. Also, take a look at more of our pea and ham soup recipes, plus some handy tips.

This recipe was originally submitted by tarotlady, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Natasha Shaw

Ingredients

800g ham hock
1 brown onion finely diced
2 Woolworths Carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks chopped
2 cups yellow split peas rinsed
1 bay leaf
10 cups water

Method

Step 1

Place split peas on the bottom of a slow cooker.
Step 2

Add carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf and ham hock.
Step 3

Cover with water.
Step 4

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours, or until meat will fall off the bone easily.
Step 5

Remove bone, discard fat and skin. Chop meat and return to soup. Stir then serve.

Equipment

1 slow cooker

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

How else can I serve this slow cooker pea and ham soup?

Personally, I like this soup served with a giant dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of parmesan for a cheesy hit. And a good sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, too! But you can simply serve it with some crusty bread for dunking, if you like.

Can I freeze this slow cooker pea and ham soup?

This soup freezes well. You can freeze the soup in meal portions for up to 3 months and then defrost in the fridge when ready to serve. To reheat, microwave the soup in a microwave-safe dish until piping hot.

Serve with homemade crusty bread rolls.

If you like the sound of this recipe, you might also like this Caramelised Pumpkin Soup.