Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is naturally thick and plant protein-packed. Use an umami-rich mushroom broth or vegetable stock and add the not-so-secret-weapon to make the soup SUPER green! Shall we?
Explore More
- What is Vegetarian Split Pea Soup?
- What are Split Peas? Are Split Peas the Same as Green Peas?
- Ingredients You Need for Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
- Ingredients Notes, Resources, and Substitutions
- How to Make Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
- What to Serve with Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
- Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Health Benefits and Dietary Considerations
- FAQ
- More Soup and Stew Recipes for "Bowl Season"
- Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe
What is Vegetarian Split Pea Soup?
Split Pea Soup is a hearty soup made from dried split green peas that are cooked with aromatic vegetables in flavorful liquid or broth for a couple of hours until they break down into a thick soup, almost the consistency of a curry. Versions of split pea soups exist in different cultural cuisines.
Traditionally, the split peas cook with a ham bone or ham hocks which add salt and smoky, savory notes to the final soup.
However, in this vegetarian version of Split Pea Soup, which is 100% plant-based so it's suitable for vegans, we don't miss the salty, fatty ham because mushroom broth or a very rich roasted vegetable stock lends the same umami to the soup, along with a splash of tamari (soy sauce) for salt and another dimension of umami.
How to make Split Pea Soup Green
Though split peas look green when dried, they actually fade in color rendering Split Pea Soup a faint yellowish green color that many people consider a little less than aesthetically pleasing. The color of Split Pea Soup might be the reason why it's not as popular as it should be, but we're going to change that!
To amp the "green" of this vegan/Vegetarian Split Pea Soup, or classic Split Pea Soup for that matter, blend in some baby spinach! You can either toss a few handfuls of baby spinach into a blender or food processor, ladle about half the hot Split Pea Soup, blend, then add back to the soup for a bright shot of green into the soup!
Or, if you want you can stir whole baby spinach leaves into the soup at the end.
The baby spinach adds another vitamin and mineral boost to the soup as well.
What are Split Peas? Are Split Peas the Same as Green Peas?
Split peas are dried green peas, so yes, they are the same thing as those bright green peas you usually get frozen or fresh in the Spring time. Split peas are peeled of their thin seed coating, "split" naturally into their two halves hence their name, and dried.
Just as a note of definition, split peas and green peas are not lentils, but are part of the legume family, which also includes beans and lentils.
You can find Split Peas in the same grocery store section as other dried beans and lentils.
Ingredients You Need for Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
There are a little more than a few ingredients in this list, but the actual cooking is pretty minimal, especially if you use a slow-cooker. Here's what you need:
- avocado oil or other neutral cooking oil
- onions
- garlic
- carrots
- celery
- green split peas
- mushroom broth or rich vegetable stock
- fresh herbs: basil, oregano, parsley, bay leaf
- ground cumin
- sea salt and black pepper
- baby spinach, optional to leave this out
- additional suggested garnish: toasted croutons, chopped fresh parsley and chives
Ingredients Notes, Resources, and Substitutions
Avocado oil. Use avocado oil, which is a neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point, making it appropriate for cooking. If you don't have avocado oil, olive oil is fine.
Mushroom or vegetable broth. I make my own Mushroom Stock with dried mushrooms, and stems and pieces of fresh mushrooms you usually cut off and discard. For store-bought, this is a good, organic one that only has water, mushrooms, garlic and salt as ingredients. If you can't find Mushroom Broth, a very good, rich, roasted vegetable stock will work in this recipe, too.
Italian Herbs. You can use either fresh or dried herbs, or a combination of both. If you have access to fresh herbs, tie together 3-4 sprigs of each of basil, oregano, and parsley with kitchen twine into a "bouquet." Add the bay leaf here too. In the the winter when fresh herbs are a little harder to come by, use 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning blend that contains basil, oregano, and parsley, or use 1 teaspoon of each.
Cumin. Cumin has a deep, earthy, somewhat smoky flavor. Originally, I added cumin to "make up for" the smokiness of the ham that is traditionally used. It's a great way to add a layer of flavor to the soup, but if you don't have it, it's fine to leave the cumin out.
Tamari. Tamari is a Japanese-style soy sauce that is made without wheat so it is gluten-free. This is the organic brand I use (links to a six-pack!). Most regular soy sauces are brewed with wheat so if you're ok eating wheat, you can use regular soy sauce.
Salt. I use this Kosher salt.
All other vegetables, herbs and produce I get from the the regular grocery store.
How to Make Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is one of the least complicated soups to make. You can almost just throw all the ingredients into a large pot on the stovetop and simmer until the split peas have broken down into their rich, viscous glory. If you want to break it down, here is how to make Vegetarian Split Pea Soup:
Rinse split peas and pick out any little stones or very discolored peas.
Heat avocado oil in a large pot over medium heat about 1 minute. Add finely diced carrots, celery, onions and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant but not burnt.
Add split peas, broth, herbs, spices, tamari, and salt to pot.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1½ hours or until split peas are soft and broken down. Remove and discard bay leaf, as well as the whole herbs if using.
Taste the soup and season with additional and black pepper as needed. At this point, you have a very nice Vegetarian Split Pea Soup that you can ladle into bowls, garnish, and eat.
How to Make Split Pea Soup Green
But we're not about just having a nice little bowl of soup. We're about optimizing.
Stir 2-3 generous handfuls of washed baby spinach into the hot finished soup until wilted and then buzz with an immersion blender (or just leave the baby spinach leaves whole!). OR...
Place 2-3 generous handfuls of washed baby spinach in a high power blender. Add about 2 cups of hot soup on top. Cover the blender. Starting at the lowest speed, pulse the split pea soup with the spinach until finely chopped. Gradually increase the speed and blend until spinach is completely blended into the Split Pea Soup.
Pour the blended Split Pea Soup back into the pot with the rest of the soup.
Stir to combine the bright green soup with spinach blended in with the pale green Vegetarian Split Pea Soup.
Pro-Tips and Tricks
The true beauty of Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is that it's so simple. However, if you do want to level up a simple, cozy bowl of soup, here's what I've done in the past to rave reviews:
Spice it up. Swirl spicy Chili Crisp or Aji Verde to keep it green over each bowl to add a different kind of heat to a steaming hot bowl of soup
Complete Protein. Split peas are almost a complete protein, in that they do contain all nine essential amino acids, but two of the amino acids, cysteine and methionine, at much lower levels. If you're going the meat-less route with the soup, add a spoonful of cooked brown rice with the soup to make up for the amino acids cysteine and methionine to make Split Pea Soup a complete protein source!
Puree for Smoother Soup. My preference is always for a soup with some texture, which is why this recipe blends only half the finished soup. However, if you prefer a soup with a completely smooth texture, puree the entire pot of cooked split peas with an immersion blender, in a food processor, or in a blender.
Serve in Bread Bowl. Hollow out small round loaves of bread into bowls and ladle Vegetarian Split Pea Soup into them. Double duty bowl and bread for dunking!
Substitutions and Variations
This Vegetarian Split Pea Soup recipe, as with most soups, is generally forgiving and flexible. In terms of ingredient amounts and ratios, you can just eyeball a lot of it.
I have made this recipe many times as presented, as well as with the substitutions and variations as noted below:
Mushroom Broth vs Vegetable Broth. Use whichever kind of broth you prefer. Mushroom broth has a deeper flavor with more umami, and the final soup doesn't taste like actual mushrooms. Vegetable broth is generally lighter in color and will provide less in terms of flavor.
No broth. If you don't have broth, that's fine! You can use good ol' clean water! You may have to season with more tamari and salt to make up some flavor.
Split Peas. Green split peas are traditional, but there are also yellow split peas, which you can substitute 1:1.
Tamari Substitute. If you are not sensitive to to wheat, you can use regular soy sauce in place of tamari. Coconut aminos, which is wheat-free and soy-free, is another substitute.
Herb Bouquet Garni. The recipe as presented uses a bouquet garni of fresh herbs like parsley, bay leaf, and thyme. However, you can substitute dried herbs for any of the fresh ones. Use 1-2 teaspoons of the dried version of each of the herbs.
Advance Prep, Leftovers, and Storage
Make a huge pot of Vegetarian Split Peas Soup in advance then store and/or freeze in single serving containers to thaw and eat all through soup season.
How Long Can You Keep Split Pea Soup in the Refrigerator? You can store leftover Split Pea Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Re-heat in a pot on the stovetop.
How Long Can You Freeze Split Pea Soup? You can freeze Split Pea Soup in an airtight container or plastic zipper bags for two months. Re-heat in a pot on the stovetop with a splash or two of water or broth so the frozen soup doesn't burn before thawing out.
Tools and Equipment
As I always say, you don't need any special equipment to make Vegetarian Split Pea Soup. You can simply use a knife and cutting board to mince the garlic and chop the vegetables. However, that doesn't mean there are a couple of gadgets and tools that might make Vegetarian Split Pea Soup even easier than it already is.
Stock Pot. I use a very large stock pot by this cookware company. It has a heavy bottom and easy-to-hold handles. Any large pot that fits the ingredients will do. A large Dutch oven is great for this.
Slow Cooker. This is the reliable 6-quart programmable slow cooker that I use. If you are going to use a slow-cooker, I highly recommend getting/using a slow-cooker that has a timer or auto-shut-off so you can truly "set it, and forget it," which is kind of the point of a slow-cooker, imho.
Vegetable Peeler. Current favorite all-purpose vegetable peeler to use for the carrots.
Chef's Knife. This is my workhorse chef's knife, slightly more pricey than others, but definitely worth it. I have had it for more than 10 years and use it every day.
Immersion Blender. Great for pureed soups with a little more texture.
Food Processor. I have been using an older model of this mini food processor for 15, maybe 20, years.
Blender. You don't need a high-power blender, but this one works well for soup because of it's large pitcher.
Stainless steel tongs to fish out a bouquet garni or transfer larger ingredients between pots and bowls.
Stainless steel ladle.
What to Serve with Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
I am an executive member of the "Soup is a Meal" club, so I generally would serve the soup perfect as-is, with nothing more than the suggested garnishes. However, if Split Pea Soup is a starter at your table, or you want to add something a little more, here are a few additional dishes that work particularly well with Split Pea Soup:
- Caesar-ish tri-colore salad with an Anchovy Vinaigrette
- Roasted broccoli, or steamed if you want to keep all your cooking on the stovetop
- Stay on all-green theme with Crispy Shredded Brussels Sprouts
- Baked Salmon as a main protein, and just leave the shredded ham garnish off the soup
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Health Benefits and Dietary Considerations
Depending on your health and dietary needs, Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is healthy. Split peas themselves, like all legumes, are rich in fiber and packed with protein. The soup is made with all vegetables, and has a nutrient-pop from mushrooms in the broth.
One serving of split peas, which is about ¼ cup dried, or ½ cup cooked, has:
- a whopping 8.3 grams fiber
- 8.3 grams of protein
As published, this recipe for Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is:
- vegetarian and vegan
- dairy-free
- gluten-free adaptable when you make sure to use tamari which is gluten-free, not soy sauce which is brewed with wheat and therefore not gluten-free, and serve with gluten-free garnishes
- refined sugar-free
Peas, and all legumes in fact, are high in natural carbohydrates so this recipe is not appropriate for keto, paleo, or Whole30.
FAQ
No, you do not have to soak split peas before cooking like you have to do for dried beans. Split peas will cook until soft and broken down in about two hours.
Yes! Split Pea Soup can support health, specifically because it is both fiber- and protein-rich. One cup of dried split peas has 8-10 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. Split peas are also a good source of vitamins B and K and the mineral magnesium. This soup also skips the salty, fatty ham of traditional Split Pea Soup, so it can have less salt, and very little fat..
You can store leftover Split Pea Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days, or in the freezer for two months.
Yes! You can freeze Split Pea Soup in an airtight container or plastic zipper bags for two months.
Yes, green split peas and regular green peas are the same things, the seed of the Pisum Sativum plant. Split peas are peeled of their thin seed coating, "split" hence their name, and dried. Both split peas and green peas have the same nutritional content, though their taste and texture differ when cooked.
Both split peas and lentils are part of the Legume family, but they are different species of plants. Split peas are the dried version of regular green peas. Lentils, on the other hand, are the seed of a lentil plant, a different species. Lentils are usually smaller than split peas, and slightly flattened in shape.
More Soup and Stew Recipes for "Bowl Season"
Are you an executive member of the "Soup Absolutely is a Meal" Club like I am? Is every season soup season? Are spoons your weapon of choice? If so, try these additional recipes for rich, hearty soups, stews, and chilis:
- French Onion Soup (vegetarian/vegan)
- Carrot Ginger Soup
- Ginger Miso Soup with Soba Noodles
- Butternut Black Bean Chili
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 cups finely diced yellow onion ~2 medium onions
- 1½ cups finely diced carrot ~4 carrots
- 1½ cups finely diced celery ~4 stalks
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic ~4 cloves
- 2 cups green split peas
- 8 cups rich vegetable stock
- 1 bouquet parsley, thyme and oregano OR 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 cups baby spinach
- optional suggested garnishes: fresh or roasted green peas, toasted croutons, chopped fresh parsley and chives
Instructions
- Sauté diced carrots, diced celery, diced onions, and minced garlic in avocado oil over medium heat in a very large soup pot.
- Add split peas, broth, dried herbs, spices, and tamari to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1½ hours or until split peas are soft and broken down.
- Remove pot from heat and fish out the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Place baby spinach and about 2 cups of hot soup in high power blender or food processor. Carefully blend spinach into soup until completely incorporated. Add more soup (or hot broth) to the blender if needed.
- Pour blended soup back into pot and stir to combine.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with roasted or fresh peas, soup croutons, or fresh chopped herbs if using.
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