There's a lot you can do with this recipe, beginning with buying the ham bone at any Honey Baked Ham Store--a coupla bucks and they usually leave about a pound of ham on 'em. I don't brown anything first--just toss in as much diced onion, carrot, celery, and potato as you like. A little garlic adds an interesting dimension. I use a whole bag of dried split peas (not pre-soaked), and after they are cooked and beginning to fall apart, I add another half bag. By the end of the slow cooking time (at least 2 hours; longer is better), the first batch of peas has disintegrated, and the second is soft, cooked, but retains their shape. Take it easy with the salt because the ham is usually very salty.

Absolutely FANTASTIC. I used the Easter ham bone, chopped up a little extra ham, threw it in the slow cooker with half a chopped onion, a pound of dried split peas, a quart of chicken broth and a little s&p and ground mustard and walked away. 6 hours later it was the most incredibly rich and flavorful pea soup I've ever tasted. Didn't even soak the peas. Will definitely make again.

I added two ribs of celery and one large carrot sliced thin, a bay leaf, a dash of hot pepper sauce,and a pinch of fines herbes.Good idea to wait on adding any salt until you taste at the end because some ham imparts enough salt. Good soup! We like it with cornbread or any crusty bread.

i always soak my peas overnight,,2 reasons , they cook faster and the more you soak and keep changing the water the less gas you will have from the peas! great recipe!

I did the Slow Cooker version, as suggested in other reviews. I used 1 small onion chopped and 2 Bay Leaves. Also used a smoked ham hock because I didn't have leftover ham w/bone. Put it all in the crock pot/slow cooker (except the oil, didn't need it) and cooked it on low all day (about 8-9 hrs). Then removed the bone and any fat from the ham hock, added another 15 oz. can of chicken broth because it was too thick and some more pepper (didn't use any salt because the ham or ham hock has enough) and served with hot rolls! IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!! My husband said he thought it was the best split pea soup he has ever had! Thanks for an EASY AND YUMMY SOUP!

This was FANTASTIC!! I substituted 2 cans of chicken broth for some of the water! DO THIS, it's GREAT! I also added some frozen diced carrots and sauteed an onion and added it, as well. SUPER DUPER YUMMY!!!

By far the best pea soup recipe I've ever tried. The addition of carrot, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme improved an already wonderful soup. I also used half chicken broth and half water. And it doesn't stink up the house! Thank you Sue!

Split pea soup is a staple in our home (at least once in any 2 week cycle, especially during the winter) and this is a good "core" recipe for it. I generally use dried beans (usually 1 lb.), chicken bullion cubes (6-8) and just about any kind of pork, bacon, sausage or frankfurter (which I sautee in butter and with onions first) I have on hand. I usually cook the soup in my crock pot -- to which I add either (fresh or dried) parsley, oregano, basil, coriander; you know, whatever I like/whatever I feel like -- on "low", so that it REALLY slow cooks, adding carrots during the last hour (when I raise the temperature to "high"). I rarely include potatoes, but if/when I do, they are "pre-cooked" and added along with the carrots. Prior to serving, I emulsify at least PART of my "batch" (perhaps 1/3rd) in my blender and return it to "the pot". I serve it with a "side salad and either a loaf of "really heavy" and "crusted" bread (an Italian loaf or a French "bagette" is good, but my family favors either Sour Dough or Pumpernickel) on the side, or refrigerated biscuits or homemade dumplings "on top". Cheese helps as a "garnish" here. While my personal preference is Parmesan, some of my family members prefer American while others prefer Swiss. I also put out a container of Sour Cream for anyone (such as myself) who wants to "dollop" it. A meal onto itself! And HEALTHY! NOTE to "newbies" (or to others who have never experienced the WONDER of Split Pea Soup): it is THICK. Especially "t

Very good soup! In place of 2/3 of the water, I used chicken broth. I also added diced carrots, a little crushed garlic and diced smoke-flavored SPAM. I didn't need to add any salt. The taste is wonderful. I do recommend stirring occasionally, especially towards the end, to avoid allowing the peas to form a thick paste at the bottom of the pan. I also didn't find I needed to simmer for 2 hours. After only about an hour, the peas were all cooked down, and it was ready to eat.

Best pea soup I've eaten. Great base recipe and a few little additions makes it the best. When sauteing the onions add two diced ribs o' celery and four slice cloves o' garlic. I simmered the peas and veggies with four smoked pork shanks which yielded plenty of meat in the end. Added three diced carrots after 1 1/2 hours of cooking and that's it. Delectable with minimal effort :-) Dave-Petaluma, CA