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–+ servings
Vegan split pea soup in a bowl.

Best Vegan Split Pea Soup

Justine Drosdovech
Vegan split pea soup is hearty, healthy, and protein-packed. Creamy split peas and hearty veggies are flavored with fresh herbs, making for one unforgettable recipe!
5 from 26 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Dutch, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Servings 9 servings
Calories 338 kcal

Equipment

  • Colander
  • Large stockpot
  • Skillet
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Chef's knife

Ingredients
 

US Customary - Metric
  • 3 cups dried yellow split peas
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 8 cups water
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 small white onions (diced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons white miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried turmeric
  • 4 small carrots (chopped)
  • 4 stalks celery (chopped)
  • 2 small sweet potatoes (peeled & cubed)
  • 2 cups corn kernels
  • 1 medium zucchini (cubed)
  • ½ - ¾ cup fresh dill (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (minced)
  • Sea salt & pepper to taste

For serving optional

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the split peas thoroughly in a strainer. Transfer them to a large stockpot with vegetable broth, water, and bay leaves. Simmer the peas for 45-60 minutes, or until softening.
  • In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add the diced onions and sauté for 3 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, miso paste, and turmeric, and sauté for another 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
  • Once the peas have softened, add the onion mixture, chopped carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, corn, and zucchini. Cover the pot, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until all vegetables are soft.
  • With about 5 minutes of cooking time left, stir in the dill, thyme, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking (we prefer a lot of dill, but start with a smaller amount and slowly increase it).
  • Serve this vegan split pea soup on its own, with homemade bread, or sourdough croutons. Happy eating!

Notes

  • Fresh herbs: Whenever possible, source fresh herbs as they provide a natural, balanced flavor. If you’re in a pinch, dry herbs work as well.
  • Consistency: This soup is meant to be thick due to the starches in the split peas and potatoes. For a thinner consistency, add more broth. If you prefer no chunks, use a hand-held or regular blender to make a smooth version.
  • Fresh split peas: Old split peas may result in extremely long cook times (sometimes, they don’t even soften). Double-check how long you’ve stored them, and buy them fresh if possible. 
  • Season to taste: We find legumes require a lot of seasoning in order to achieve the right flavor. Taste and season as you go, adding more at the end if needed.
  • Speed up cooking: If you know you’re going to make split pea soup in advance, soak the split peas overnight. This will considerably reduce the cooking time.
  • Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 61.8g | Protein: 17.4g | Fat: 3.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.6g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 1126mg | Fiber: 19.8g | Sugar: 7.81g | Vitamin A: 7680IU | Vitamin C: 16.2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4.48mg
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