Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup With Horseradish Cream

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated March 11, 2021

  • Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 8 hours
Rating
4(584)
Comments
Read comments

Yellow or green split peas are consumed around the world because they are cheap, nonperishable and highly nutritious. Preparing them in a slow cooker makes for an affordable, delicious meal-in-a-bowl that requires nothing more than combining all of the ingredients, then simmering for several hours. Don't skip the horseradish cream swirled in at the end; it is the work of just a few minutes, and it makes this humble dish feel special. To make the soup vegetarian, use water instead of chicken stock, increase the smoked paprika to 1 teaspoon, omit the ham, and stir in a spoonful of white or yellow miso paste at the end, which will add savoriness. (You can also prepare this in a pressure cooker.)

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 yellow or red onion, minced

  • 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

  • 1 large carrot, chopped

  • 5 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

  • 2 fresh or dried bay leaves

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 smoked ham hock (about 1 pound)

  • 1 pound green or yellow split peas

  • 5 ¼ cups chicken stock (or water)

  • ¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth (see Tip)

  • ½ lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons jarred, drained horseradish

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

52 grams carbs; 34 milligrams cholesterol; 464 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 14 grams fiber; 845 milligrams sodium; 29 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Add the ham hock, split peas, stock and wine, and cook on low until the peas are tender, 8 to 10 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the ham hock to a bowl. Using two forks, pull the meat from the ham hock, discard the bone and return the meat to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste the soup, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. The soup will thicken as it sits; if it is too thick for your taste, stir in a bit of warm broth or water.

  3. Step 3

    Combine the sour cream, horseradish and mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup with the horseradish cream for topping.

Tip

  • If you prefer to cook without the wine, omit it and add an equivalent amount of stock. At the end, add extra lemon juice to taste.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
584 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Maggie

This soup is a very popular winter warmer in Germany, traditionally served wherever large crowds gather, such as at Christmas markets. If you have some bacon on hand, cut it in small pieces, render the fat in a skillet, add the bacon bits to your Slow cooker. Dice the onion and fry it with the carrots and celery in the bacon fat until translucent before adding to the pot. If you can get your hands on some very good Vienna sausage, cut that in pieces and add at the end. Don‘t boil the sausage.

Kay Hudson

There was awhile where I couldn’t find any ham hocks at my grocery store. So I asked the butcher for a good substitute and he suggested smoked turkey leg. My go-to now for anything requiring ham hocks. Tastes very similar to to ham and with plenty more meat.

Kate

I made this vegetarian by substituting some parmesan rinds for the ham and using veggie stock. Still very tasty!

Rhetor Marcus

I made this soup with old peas, turkey parts, and sherry, and let it cook VERY long because I had to be out all day. The peas nearly dissolved but that was preferable to them remaining crunchy. It is very savory. I have not made the sauce yet but will. This will be my preferred recipe for pea soup.

Christine

This is great! Reminds me of my grandma’s ham and bean soup. We couldn’t find a hamhock so we used a shank and it was still great (not overdone). I think also used labneh instead of sour cream and a fresh horseradish root for the sauce. Turned out great!

Rachel

Recipe turned out great on the stovetop instead of slow cooker. Used yellow lentils and it was a beautiful hue. I was disappointed by the horseradish cream - maybe I didn’t drain the horseradish or didn’t measure exactly enough- but we found it so overpowering we ditched it completely. Served with homemade croutons instead and it was a hit.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.