Soup & stew · Slow cooker

Slow Cooker Pea and Ham Soup with Ham Hock

Greg's pea and ham soup is a throw-it-all-in-a-pot job: a ham hock from the deli counter, 500 g of green split peas and a handful of chopped veg. The slow cooker does the work, and Greg ends up with about 3 litres.

R By Richard · Adapted from Greg's Kitchen · Published 6 October 2026
👁 85.6k source views ❤️ 1.7k source likes
🍲Slow cook 6 hr (Low) / 4 hr (High)
HOW TO MAKE PEA AND HAM SOUP SLOW COOKER RECIPE - Greg's Kitchen

Source video by Greg's Kitchen on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

A very low-effort pea and ham soup. Green split peas, a ham or bacon hock, onion, carrots, celery, garlic and a bay leaf go into the slow cooker with 2 litres of half stock, half water. After 4 hours on High (or 6 on Low) the hock comes out, the soup is blended thick, and the ham is picked from the bone, with the skin and fat removed, and stirred back in. The batch makes about 3 litres, enough for several days.

Ingredients

Soup
  • 500 gdried green split peas
  • 1 wholeham or bacon hock
  • 1 wholeonion, finely chopped
  • 2 wholecarrots, finely chopped
  • 2 stickscelery, finely chopped
  • garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 wholebay leaf
  • 2 litresstock and water, single cream

Method

  1. Rinse the split peas under cold water until the water runs fairly clear.

  2. Finely chop the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.

  3. Put the peas, chopped vegetables, garlic, bay leaf and ham hock into the slow cooker. Pour over the stock and water, about 2 litres, so everything is covered.

  4. Put the lid on and cook on High for about 4 hours, or on Low for about 6 hours.

    ~240 min

  5. Lift out the ham hock and the bay leaf. The soup will have reduced by about a centimetre.

  6. If you want a smooth thick soup, blend it with a stick blender. You can also leave it chunky.

  7. Remove the skin and fat from the hock. The meat should fall off the bone, so break it into small pieces.

  8. Stir the ham back into the soup, or serve the soup in bowls and put the ham on top as a garnish.

Frequently asked

Can I make this on the hob instead?
Yes. In a saucepan, simmer very gently for about 1 to 1.5 hours.
What if I cook it on Low?
The presenter says 4 hours on High or 6 hours on Low.
Do I have to blend the soup?
No. You can leave it nice and thick with big chunks. The presenter blends it with a stick blender for a thicker smooth texture.
Where do I find a ham hock?
Greg found his in the deli department. A bacon hock also works.
How much does this make?
About 3 litres from 500 g of peas, which is enough for several days of lunches.
Extraction notes (transparency): Garlic quantity is not stated (the presenter says he added some garlic), so it is listed without an amount. Celery is described as 'two bits'; taken as 2 sticks. Ham hock weight and servings are not stated; the finished batch was about 3 litres.