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Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham Bone

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A hearty and comforting slow cooker split pea soup made with a ham bone and smoked paprika, delivering rich, smoky flavor with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) dried green split peas, rinsed well
  • 1 large ham bone with some meat left (or smoked ham hocks or diced smoked ham)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups (1.4 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic during the last minute to avoid burning.
  2. While the veggies cook, rinse 1 ½ cups (300 g) dried green split peas under cold water until water runs clear.
  3. Transfer sautéed veggies into the slow cooker. Add rinsed split peas, ham bone (or smoked ham hocks), 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs.
  4. Pour in 6 cups (1.4 liters) low-sodium chicken broth, ensuring liquid covers ingredients by about an inch; add water if needed.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until split peas are tender and breaking apart.
  6. About 30 minutes before serving, remove ham bone and bay leaf. Pull off any meat from the bone, chop it, and stir back into the soup. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If soup is too thick, add more broth or water to desired consistency.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Optionally, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a few dashes of hot sauce.

Notes

Sautéing the vegetables before adding to the slow cooker enhances flavor. Rinsing split peas removes dust and starch for better texture. Add salt at the end to avoid over-seasoning due to salty ham bone. If soup is too thick after cooking, add broth or water to loosen. For a vegetarian version, omit ham bone and smoked paprika, use vegetable broth and add liquid smoke. The soup can be made on stovetop but requires more attention.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker, split pea soup, ham bone, smoked paprika, comfort food, easy soup, crockpot soup, hearty soup

Find it online: https://pokirecipes.com/slow-cooker-split-pea-soup-with-ham-bone-easy-homemade-recipe/