Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Yield: Serves 6 to 8 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 6-7 hours on High

I was never allowed to leave the dinner table until I had eaten most of the veggies on my plate—maybe you can relate. While there were some veggies that I dragged my feet on (hello, green beans!), I barely even noticed that recipes like my grandma’s split pea soup were chock-full of them.

INGREDIENTS

1 (16-ounce) bag green split peas, rinsed and drained

1 cup finely chopped carrots

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed

2 cups cubed smoked ham steak

5–6 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly spray the insert of an 8-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Layer the split peas, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and ham steak in the slow cooker. Stir to mix.
3. Add 4 to 5 cups of the broth to cover the ingredients.
4. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 hours on High, until the peas are tender.
5. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add more broth if needed and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve.