Crockpot Split Pea Soup To Feed a Big Family
When the smoked hams go on sale at the grocery store we sometimes grab two. Such a delicious way to feed a big family with a multitude of meals.
This week we picked up a bone-in smoked ham and got 3 1/2 meals out of it. First night was simple with a quick honey mustard glaze and side of roast veggies & potatoes. Second night I chopped up most of the leftover meat to whip up a broccoli, ham and cheese casserole that also made a lovely lunch for the adults the next day.
The third day was the entire reason we picked up the ham in the first place. Pea soup. My brother in law used to hate pea soup because he only ever had it out of a can with lame bits of ham every 14 bites. Then he politely tried my homemade crockpot split pea soup and was completely blown away.
With fall in the air 'tis the season of soups and I am happily employing my 8 quart crockpot for another season of simple, budget friendly, delicious and nutritious big family meals.
My rotation of family favourites has already featured Lasagna Soup twice this past month and of course a big pot of Pumpkin Chili. Now it's time for Pea Soup.
This one is so simple to make. Literally, just throw everything in the crockpot in the morning, turn it on and dinner will be ready easy peasy lemon squeezy.
I usually serve this delightful filling meal with a side of homemade bread courtesy of my bread machine and look forward to (hopefully) a bowl or two of leftovers for the adults to enjoy for lunch the next day. The flavor only deepens and the texture gets even thicker.
By using the bones and allowing it to really sit in the crockpot it creates a natural stock rick with gelatine and minerals to nourish the whole family. Great job big family momma! Not one ounce of that ham is going to waste when you make this pea soup.
If you would like to get more recipes, support and skills for big family moms feel free to pop over to my Big Family Moms community here.
Without further ado, here is the recipe card for quick reference (no ads to take forever to load! Hurray!)
Crockpot Pea Soup

Tasty, budget friendly big family soup that tastes even better the next day!
- Crockpot
- 900 g bag dried split green peas
- 1 c grated carrot
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 chicken bouillon cubes
- 2 ham hocks or leftover ham bone with fat trimmings & drippings
- 10-12 c water (or enough to fill pot)
SHORT DIRECTIONS
- Throw it all a 8 quart crockpot for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Done!
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all the dry ingredients to 8 quart crockpot.
- Dice the onion, grate carrot and add to crockpot.
- Add ham bone(s) to centre of pot.
- Fill with water and keep it under 1 inch from the top to avoid bubbling over.
- Turn on low for 8 hours or high for 4.
- Once cooked, ladle out the bones and remove any remaining meat to add to the soup.
- Stir well then serve into bowls with optional side of homemade bread or cracker.
TIME SAVER TIPS
- Prep this the night before and refrigerate
- Use 1/3c THM or other homemade bouillon mix instead of store bought cubes.
- This thickens up nicely the second day and the flavor gets even better.
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