This vegan split pea soup is the perfect dish for cold and rainy days! It is loaded with fresh vegetables, protein-rich peas, and is packed with tons of flavor. Plus, it is super simple to make!
What is split pea soup?
Classic split pea soup is a flavorful soup that is made with split peas, mirepoix vegetables (the perfect base for delicious soups), and ham. The ingredients are simmered with chicken broth on low-medium heat for 60-80 minutes to create a flavorful soup that is thickened by the split peas that break down while cooking.
But since I prefer a meat-free (and pork-free) version, I tested this vegetarian and vegan version of split pea soup. And let me tell you, it turned out super delicious! The soup is very aromatic, has the perfect texture, and tastes absolutely amazing.
Is split pea soup healthy?
Yes, split pea soup can be very healthy! This vegetarian split pea soup recipe is made with incredibly nutritious vegetables and has an amazing amount of protein. The soup is very filling, tastes great, and makes for a very healthy meal that tastes great.
Ingredients
To make this vegan split pea soup, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Green split peas: I like to use green split peas as yellow split peas tend to be milder in flavor. But if you prefer yellow split peas, feel free to use them!
- Vegetables and aromatics: Yellow onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and potatoes are the ingredients that make this soup so delicious! The only ingredient you could skip are the potatoes, but I definitely love and recommend adding them.
- Vegetable broth: Vegetable broth is used as base for the soup since it adds an extra boost of flavor.
- Herbs: The herbs you’ll need are dried thyme and bay leaves. Make sure you use them as they definitely are important to make this soup taste great!
How to make vegan split pea soup
Preparing this vegan split pea soup is super simple! And even though it takes some time until the soup is ready as it has to simmer for 60-80 minutes, the recipe itself is very hands-off and fuss-free. Simply follow these steps:
- Sauté: First, sauté the onion, garlic, and celery with some olive oil in a pot over medium heat until the onion turns translucent.
- Simmer: Next, add the split peas, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf to the pot. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 60 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients: Now add the carrots and potatoes. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Serve: When the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened, take out the bay leaf. Check if you want to add more salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Cooking tips
Here are some things to keep in mind when you make the split pea soup.
- Don’t change the ingredients: All of the ingredients are necessary to make the soup taste great. So don’t skip any of the ingredients!
- Texture: After 80 minutes cook time the soup still has some texture as the split peas haven’t broken down fully. So if you prefer a creamier soup, let it simmer until you are happy with the soup’s texture.
- Consistency: I love it when soups are a little thick. But if you prefer a thinner consistency, feel free to add more vegetable broth or water after the cook time.
- Check on the soup: As cook time might vary, make sure you check on the soup and stir it occasionally. When the split peas start to break down, add the carrots and potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
As the split pea soup is already very satiating and packed with wholesome ingredients, it isn’t necessary to serve a side dish. But I love to serve crusty bread with this soup as it tastes so good!
Yes, you can freeze the soup. Pour it into a freezer-friendly storage container and freeze it for several months. Thaw and reheat when you are ready to enjoy this vegan split pea soup.
No, you actually don’t have to soak split peas! While soaking them reduces the cooking time, I recommend letting the soup simmer for at least an hour so the ingredients can infuse the soup with flavor. As split peas take that much time to cook, there is no need to take the extra step of soaking them.
More delicious and warming soups
If you love delicious soups that are packed with vegetables, try one of the following recipes. They all taste amazing!
- Vegetable Lentil Soup
- Turkish Lentil Soup
- Vegan Potato Leek Soup
- Creamy Carrot Potato Soup
- Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup
Vegan Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- ½ pound green split peas rinsed
- 5 - 6 cups vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 potato diced
Instructions
- Preheat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Then sauté the onion, garlic, and celery until the onion turns translucent.
- Now add the split peas, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf to the pot.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover the pot and let the soup simmer on low-medium heat for 60 minutes.
- Next, add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
- Take out the bay leaf, add more vegetable broth or salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!
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