The Best Vegan Split Pea Soup

This Vegan Split Pea Soup is warming and delicious. Filled with whole ingredients and smoky spices, this soup will have you coming back for more!

I don't know about you, but after the holidays, I am always feeling weighed down, literally! I love indulging over the holidays and eating all the good sweets! However, I always notice that my body starts to crave whole foods. I don't know what it is, but after the holidays, I feel like I need a reset. I am not talking about diets, I don't believe in those, I believe that you are beautiful no matter what and you should never feel guilty about eating exactly what you want. For me though, my body has learned to thrive off eating whole, plant-based foods.

This Vegan Split Pea Soup is exactly that. It is hearty, warming, and delicious. Full of good for you, plant-based ingredients, and full of warming and smokey spices. You won't be able to stop yourself from going back for more I can promise you that!

For some other delicious soup recipes, check out this Easy Vegan "Beef" Stew with Guinness, this Vegetarian Scotch Broth or this Scottish Tattie and Neep Soup.

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• FAQ's
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top Tips
• The Best Vegan Split Pea Soup
• Food Safety

Ingredient Notes

• Green Split Peas- The base of this Vegan Split Pea Soup is the split peas. Split peas are a dried version of a green pea. You need to use dried, split peas in this soup, fresh peas will not work as they will just get mushy and won't break down and thicken the soup as the split peas will. Split peas are high in protein and fiber, and low in fat. There is no need to soak split peas before cooking, and they turn very creamy when cooked through. There are two varieties of split peas, yellow and green. We are using green for this recipe.
• Potatoes- While most Split Pea Soups incorporate some type of ham or animal protein to help bulk it up, we are using potatoes to give it that extra bulk and keep it thick and hearty. If you are concerned about the number of carbs in this soup, you can swap the potatoes for a less starchy root vegetable like a turnip or parsnip.
• Smoked Paprika-Most split pea soups have some kind of smokey element to give it that depth of flavor. Since we are keeping this soup vegan, we are using smoked paprika to provide that smokey element. You can sub this out with a fourth of a teaspoon of liquid smoke if you prefer.
• Vegan Worcestershire Sauce-This ingredient helps to add umami and saltiness to the dish. Most traditional split pea soups are made with ham which is salty on its own, to mimic that, we are swapping in some Vegan Worcestershire sauce. This is my favorite go-to brand!

See the recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

• Dice the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes.
• Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots over medium heat until for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft.
• Add the potatoes, split peas, spices, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and garlic and stir until combined.

• Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 hours until the soup has thickened and the peas are cooked through.
• Remove from heat, ladle into bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Hint: The vegan split pea soup will get considerably thicker as the peas rehydrate and soak up the liquid. We prefer more of a brothy split pea soup as opposed to creamy. However, if you prefer a creamier soup, you can blend half the soup in a high-speed blender and then pour it back into the Dutch Oven.

Substitutions

• Low Carb- If you want to lower the number of carbs in this soup, swap the potatoes for a lower-carb root vegetable like parsnips.
• Low-Sodium- Make sure you use a low-sodium vegetable broth if you are concerned with the amount of salt in the dish.

Variations

Crockpot Instructions

Follow these instructions to make this Vegan Split Pea Soup in the Crockpot

• Rinse and drain split peas
• Place all ingredients in the crockpot
• Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours

Instant Pot Instructions

Follow these instructions to make this Vegan Split Pea Soup in the Instant Pot

• Turn the Instant Pot to sauté, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and set to "Manual High Pressure" and cook for 15 minutes.
• Allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes before doing a quick release of the remaining pressure.
• Serve immediately.

Check out this other delicious soup using Split Peas!

FAQ's

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment that you will need to make this recipe successful.

• Dutch Oven
• Chef Knife
• Bowls
• Ladle

Storage

Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The soup might get thicker in the fridge the longer it sits so feel free to water it down with broth or water when reheating.

To freeze this soup, make sure to cool it completely and then place it in freezer-safe containers or gallon-sized freezer bags. Transfer the soup to the fridge overnight to thaw when ready to eat.

Top Tips

• I would advise picking through the peas and checking for pebbles and debris. Then, you can rinse and drain them.
• Vegan split pea soup is very versatile. Feel free to add any other veggies or seasonings that you would enjoy.
• Green Split Peas do a great job of thickening the soup, however, feel free to blend half of the soup and then pour it back in the pot if you prefer your soup even thicker.

Food Safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.