Split Pea, Potato, Ham and Leek Soup in the Crockpot

With a rich ham flavor and a balanced combination of potatoes, leeks and split peas, this soup was a very pleasant surprise. My husband loves split pea soup. I've tried making it for him several times and each time prior to this, I was unimpressed. When I saw this soup earlier this week, I knew I'd be trying it soon. I had a ham bone in the freezer already, so this was an easy meal to create from what I had on hand.

As a child, split pea soup was my least favorite soup in the world. However, this soup just made it to the top 20 in my list. (Top 20? Yes, we LOVE soup.) We eat soup frequently, even through the summer. I just crank the a/c and pretend it isn't a million degrees outside for a couple of hours. Served with a fresh homemade baguette, this was a great meal that required almost no effort.

Split Pea, Potato, Ham and Leek Soup in the Crockpot
recipe adapted from Full Measure of Happiness

2 leeks, sliced thin, washed and rinsed very well
1 large onion, diced
8 baby red potatoes, diced into bite size pieces
1-2 cloves of garlic, I used 2 large ones
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 ham bone
1 1/2 cups dried split peas
3 cups chicken broth, if using homemade stock, be sure to adjust the salt accordingly
3 cups water
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Set the crockpot on high and then layer the leeks, onion and potatoes into the bottom of the pot. Then add the ham bone, split peas, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Pour the chicken broth and water on top of everything.

Let this cook on high for 4-6 hours, or until the peas disintegrate into the broth and the potatoes are tender. Use a fork to remove and shred any remaining meat from the ham bone. Then remove the bone from the soup. Remove the bay leaves as well and then stir the soup.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. At this point, you can adjust the heat to a lower setting. I switched from high to low after about 4 hours and then kept the soup simmering on low for another couple hours and allowed it to thicken a bit while I waited until dinnertime.

Click here for printable recipe