Slow Cooker Sundays are going strong! (which is quite a feat since it was my birthday weekend!)
Today, I made split pea soup. I honestly don’t think I have ever had split pea soup in my life before. But, I know my mom loves it and so I figured I would too. It was really good. (I guess Mom really does know best!) The peas broke down really nicely and made the soup super velvety. (I didn’t even use my immersion blender like I planned.) It was very filling and satisfying on this chilly January evening.
- Start by pouring about 15 ounces of split peas into the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Next add 8 ounces of diced ham. (I used deli-sliced ham. I know you’re supposed to use a hambone or ham hock, but I have NEVER made ham and wasn’t going to start this morning.)
- Peel and chop 3 carrots and add them.
- Chop 1 medium onion and add it.
- Chop up 2 stalks of celery (including the leaves) and add that.
- Mince up 3 cloves of garlic and throw it into the slow cooker.
- Add 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Pour in 6 cups of hot water.
- DO NOT stir!
- Cover and cook on high for 5 hours. (Or, if you have the time, cook low and slow for 8-10 hours. One note: while the soup was cooking, my house was overpowered by a strong onion smell. I was a little worried that the onion flavor was going to overpower the soup. But, in the end, all the flavors came together nicely. So, the moral of this story is: if you make this and your slow cooker lets off a strong onion odor, do not be alarmed!)
- When your soup is finished cooking, remove the bay leaf. (If you used a hambone or ham hock, remove it from the slow cooker. Take all of the meat off and add the meat back to the soup.)
- Give it a good stir to combine everything.
The peas should have transformed into a silky consistency. If you want to make it even silkier, pureé it with an immersion blender. I liked having the bites of carrots and celery though, so I did not blend it. It’s your call though. Enjoy!
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