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Slow Cooker Recipe: Satisfying Split Pea Soup with Rice 🍵🍚

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Easy Slow Cooker Soup with Split Peas and Rice

feature slow cooker split pea soup with rice

Anyone can make this satisfying, hearty split pea soup with rice when you use your slow cooker and follow this easy recipe.

It only takes a few minutes to prep and get your soup cooking, then your Crockpot does the work while you focus on other things!

This soup is naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free, making it a fantastic, nourishing choice for almost any diet.

It’s also incredibly budget-friendly, costing less than a few dollars to make a large batch.

This recipe will feed a crowd, but it also works wonderfully as a meal prep staple, offering easy, filling meals for days to come.

ingredients for split pea soup with rice

Ingredient Notes and Prep Tips 💡

The simplicity of the ingredients is a key feature of this satisfying, frugal soup.

Preparing the Split Peas

  • Rinsing and Sorting: Split peas are an agricultural product, so they do need to be cleaned. First, do a quick check to sort out any small rocks or debris. Then, briefly rinse the split peas with water to remove dust or dirt.
  • Soaking: Unlike larger legumes, split peas do not need to be soaked before cooking. However, if you choose to soak them, the soup will cook slightly faster. The provided recipe uses unsoaked peas.

dried split peas

Budget and Nutrition

  • Frugal Meal: Every ingredient in this soup is budget-friendly, making it a very economical meal. The full slow cooker of soup provides about 12 servings for a very low cost.
  • Healthy Benefits: Split peas are an excellent source of plant-based protein and are known for their high fiber content. They are also low in fat and contain iron, folate, potassium, and magnesium.

sour cream on split pea soup with rice

Cooking and Storage Tips 🍲

Using a slow cooker makes the cooking process effortless, and the soup stores beautifully as leftovers.

Adding the Rice

  • Timing: The recipe instructs to cook the split peas first for about 2 1/2 hours until they begin to soften. The rice is added later (Step 4), stirring it in and cooking for an additional hour. This helps ensure the rice doesn’t overcook.

mug with split pea and rice soup

Serving and Toppings

A mug or bowl of this soup is a satisfying meal on its own, but you can add toppings for extra flavor and texture:

  • Garnish Ideas: Add a dollop of sour cream (or vegan alternative), fresh minced herbs (like parsley or chives), microgreens, shredded cheese, or croutons.
  • Serving Suggestion: The soup is also lovely served alongside a simple sandwich or salad.

pea soup with rice

Storing Leftovers

  • Texture Change: The split peas and rice will continue to break down as they sit, so your leftover soup will be naturally thicker than the soup was right after cooking. This is normal and delicious!
  • Freezing: The soup is fantastic as a freezer meal. Let it cool fully, then portion it into individual serving-size airtight containers or Ziploc freezer bags for easy reheating.

split pea soup spoonful

🍵🍚 Split Pea Soup with Rice Recipe (Slow Cooker)

⏱️ Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: 3 ½ Hours | Yield: 12 Servings

🥣 Ingredients

🥄 Supplies

📝 Instructions

  1. Prep Peas: Sort and rinse the dried split peas.
  2. Combine: Add the rinsed split peas, water, chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to your slow cooker.
  3. First Cook: Set the slow cooker to high and cook for about 2 1/2 hours.
  4. Add Rice: Stir in the rice and cook for about 1 hour more, or until the rice is tender and the soup has thickened.
  5. Serve: Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with sour cream, cheese, or chopped herbs if desired.
  6. Store: If saving leftovers, let the soup cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers for the refrigerator or freezer.

Ready to Make This Hearty, Frugal Soup? ⬇️

This slow cooker split pea soup with rice is a comforting, nutritious, and incredibly budget-friendly meal that is perfect for a cold evening or easy meal prep.

Will you make a large batch for the freezer or feed a crowd tonight? 

pin slow cooker split pea soup with rice

More from Mama Likes To Cook 

Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

Stovetop Soup Recipes

Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Cold Soup Recipes

Non-Soup Slow Cooker Recipes

Rice Recipes

slow cooker split pea soup with sour cream