Vegan Split Pea Soup
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Published Feb 28, 2022, Updated Feb 20, 2023
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This vegan split pea soup is made with tender split peas and fresh vegetables and is the perfect cozy recipe for chilly days. It’s healthy, hearty, packed with flavor and comes together quickly!
This weather has me craving all of the cozy, comforting recipes right now and my current obsession = this vegan split pea soup. I love the flavors and heartiness it provides and it’s seriously so easy to whip up. Plus, the whole family loves it (including Liv!) which makes things a lot easier when it comes to dinner time!
Traditional split pea soup is typically made with ham slices, ham hock or ham bone, but I’m not a huge ham person, so I decided to make a vegan version with smoked paprika and tamari, which gives this soup a nice smoky, rich flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Split Pea Soup Recipe
- It’s packed full of flavor, fiber and protein.
- It’s a one pot meal. Yay for minimal dishes!
- Great for meal prep – make one batch and enjoy this healthy soup all week long!
Split Pea Nutrition
Peas are an excellent legume to add to your diet! Yep, you read correctly… despite what most people think, peas are actually a legume and not a vegetable. They fall into the same category as lentils, chickpeas and even peanuts! However, most often peas are categorized as a starchy vegetable, similar to corn and potatoes.
Split peas pack a nutritional punch! They have a higher protein content at 8 grams per half cup serving and a high fiber content at 16 grams of dietary fiber per serving. Plus, you’ll find vitamins A, K and C, thiamine, folate, manganese, iron, potassium and phosphorus in peas! (source)
Ingredients Needed
- green split peas – the star of the show! For this recipe we’re using a 1 pound bag of dry split peas, which you can find in the dry bean aisle at your grocery store. If you can’t find green split peas, yellow split peas will also work. Yellow split peas have a more earthy flavor than green split peas.
- olive oil – for sautéing the vegetables. You can also use ghee or vegan butter.
- yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic – the fresh veggies we’re using to pack in flavor and nutrients.
- seasonings and spices – bay leaves, black pepper, sea salt, thyme, oregano, and paprika.
- vegetable broth – I recommend using low sodium so you can control the saltiness of the soup. You can also use chicken broth if you don’t need this recipe to be vegan.
- tamari – since we’re skipping the meat, the tamari adds a nice rich, umami flavor to this soup! Soy sauce or coconut aminos will also work. Use gluten-free tamari if necessary!
- fresh lemon juice – I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. A splash of lemon juice adds a necessary acidity to the soup that brightens the rest of the flavors.
- optional toppings – cracked pepper, parmesan (try my hemp parmesan for a vegan option), and fresh parsley.
How to Make Split Soup
Sauté vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat on your stove top. Sauté the onion, celery, carrots and garlic to the pot. Stirring occasionally until onions become translucent and everything begins to soften about 5-7 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients: Add bay leaves, pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, paprika and split peas. Stirring constantly for an additional minute. Then add vegetable broth to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until peas are tender about 60 minutes. Then stir in tamari and lemon juice.
Serve: Divide into bowls and top with parmesan cheese, cracked pepper and fresh parsley (if using).
FAQ’s
No! Since they are already split open, split peas cook quickly and don’t require any soaking!
I like a little texture to my soup, but if prefer a silky smooth soup you can use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup!
How to Serve
This soup is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but you can never go wrong with toppings and a side! Here are some suggestions:
- Toppings: parmesan cheese (vegan if needed), fresh parsley, croutons, roasted chickpeas or crumbled tempeh bacon.
- Sides: toasted sourdough bread, almond flour crackers or this simple kale salad.
How to Store Leftovers
This soup is a great meal prep recipe. I like to make a batch over the weekend so I have easy lunches and dinners ready to go for the week. Allow the soup to cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Popular Soup Recipes to Try
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Vegan Potato Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Detox Soup
- Vegan Lentil Soup
- Mushroom Barley Soup
Be sure to check out all of the soup recipes on EBF!
Vegan Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lb bag dry split peas, rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable broth, plus more as desired to thin
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Cracked pepper, parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, for topping
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally until everything begins to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add bay leaves, pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, paprika and split peas. Cook another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add vegetable broth to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until peas are very soft, about 60 minutes.
- Once pea have softened stir in tamari and lemon juice.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and top with parmesan cheese, cracked pepper and fresh parsley (if using).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great soup! Yum.
Woo! Happy to hear that, Sara. Thanks for leaving a review, I appreciate it!
Delicious! I used 8 cups of liquid – 4 cups of water and 4 cups of stock – since split pea always thickens up as it sets and I like mine a little looser. I used coconut aminos and that gave it the smoky meat flavor and a touch of sweetness. the lemon juice really brightens it up.
Woo! Thanks for sharing your changes, Steph. The coconut aminos sound like a delicious addition. I appreciate you coming back to leave a review and star rating!
I’ve made a few split pea soups, and this one was the best, by FAR! Split pea soup is a very nostalgic meal for me and I remember my nana’s always being thick and hearty- exactly how this turned out! I would give 6 stars if I could!
Yay! I am thrilled to hear this, Anissa! I really appreciate you taking them time to come back and leave a review, it means the world to me.
This is wonderful!!! I added a little more carrot but it was the best !!!
Oh yay! So glad you enjoyed this soup, Sherry. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was a wonderful recipe!
I made a few changes because I’m pregnant and breastfeeding. Instead of garlic I used Hing, replaced the onion with fennel and didn’t add the paprika. I also didn’t have tamari so I used coconut aminos. And made it on the instapot. It was delicious.
So glad you enjoyed this soup, Ashley. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!