Vegan Split Pea Soup

This delicious split pea soup is the perfect antidote for the winter blues and all that ales you. It's comforting, filling, and really, really good.

Ever had one of those days when nothing seems to go right? Like, it starts off the wrong way and things just keep happening? I call them "soup days". Days when all you want to do is curl up on the couch, with a blanket and a hot bowl of goodness like our vegan split pea soup.

Ingredients for Vegan Split Pea Soup

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This flavorful oil is the perfect base for most of our soups.
• Onion: I love sweet onions or yellow onions, but in a pinch, a white or red onion will also work.
• Carrots: Whole carrots have the best flavor for soup, especially when carrots are in season. Avoid baby carrots if you can.
• Celery Stalks: If you are cooking for kids, sometimes they do not enjoy celery. In that case, I recommend dicing the celery very, very small.
• Vegetable Broth: You can also use water with vegetable bouillon
• Split Peas: Always rinse split peas or lentils and look for foreign objects mixed in.
• Smoked Paprika: You could use regular paprika if you don't like smoke paprika.
• Oregano and Cumin: Spices to add flavor.
• Salt and Black Pepper: Add this seasoning to taste.
• Bay Leaves: These add so much flavor but must be removed before serving the soup.

How to Make Vegan Split Pea Soup

Making split pea soup is so easy! First, heat up your soup pot with some oil. Then dice the vegetables and add the onions, celery, and carrots to the hot soup pot. This is called the cooking trinity or mirepoix. Sauté mirepoix until the onions are translucent, then add everything else to the pot.

Bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add a lid and cook the soup for roughly 90 minutes. Be sure to check it at the 45-minute mark, give it a stir, and add more liquid if necessary.

Make sure you pull out the bay leaf before serving the soup.

How to Make Vegan Split Pea Soup in the Instant Pot

Making Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is just as easy and it is also faster. Set your Instant Pot on sauté mode and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, and place the lid on the pot.

Set it to pressure cook on high for thirty minutes.  Let the steam release on its own before carefully opening the lid and enjoying the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaves before eating the soup

Tips for the Best Vegan Split Pea Soup Recipe

• If you open the Instant Pot and the soup is too thick, add a cup of broth and heat the soup through.
• Because the soup will thicken after storing in the fridge, you will need to add a little water or broth when reheating the soup.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep your leftover split pea soup in airtight containers in your refrigerator for three to five days. I like to put it in individual serving containers so that it is an easy grab-and-go lunch for anyone in the household. It will likely need added water or broth when it is reheated.

You can also freeze leftover soup for future use. Plan to use it within three months and make sure you put it in a freezer-safe and microwaveable container. Leave room at the top of the container to add water or broth, since it will probably thicken. Then simply thaw and reheat in the microwave when you are ready to eat it. Add water or broth after it is thawed as needed. I like using souper cups for freezing soup in individual portions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for split peas to soften in soup?

Ninety Minutes on the cooktop. Split peas and lentils need to cook until they are soft and tender, no longer crunchy. They cook faster in an Instant Pot, cooking in as little as thirty minutes.

How do I reheat split pea soup?

If your soup has been in the refrigerator, you can add a little water or broth to it and then microwave it for two minutes or so until it is heated through. Stir before checking the temperature.

If your soup has been in the freezer, you will need to heat it for five or six minutes in the microwave and possibly longer. I recommend you thaw it fully first, and then check to see if it needs additional water or broth.

Other Great Soup Recipes

• Mushroom Barley Soup
• Leek and Potato Soup
• Creamy Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Soup (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
• Turmeric Ginger Vegetable Soup Recipe

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Vegan Split Pea Soup

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• Author: Vicky and Ruth
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
• Yield: 10 cups 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

When all you want to do is curl up on the couch, with a blanket and a hot bowl of goodness try our delicious vegan split pea soup recipe.

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Ingredients

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• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 medium carrots, diced small
• 4 celery stalks
• 8 cups vegetable broth or water with vegetable bouillon
• 2 cup split peas, rinsed
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 bay leaves

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Instructions

Split Pea Soup on the Stove

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent
2. Add the vegetable broth (start with 7 cups), split peas, smoked paprika, oregano,  salt, cumin, pepper, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes, until the split peas are tender (check the soup after 45 minutes and if it's too thick, add another cup of broth). Remove and discard the bay leaves before eating the soup.

Split Pea Soup on the Instant Pot

1. Set the instant pot on sauté mode. Pour the olive oil and wait until it's done reheating
2. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring often
3. Add 7 cups of broth or water, split peas, salt, and the rest of the spices and herbs
4. Close the cover of the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.  Let the steam release on its own before carefully opening the lid and enjoying the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaves before eating the soup.
5. If the soup is too thick you can add the remaining cup of broth

Notes

1. The soup will thicken after storing in the fridge. Add a little water or broth when reheating.
2. Making Ahead: keep the soup in the fridge for up to 5 days
3. Freezing instructions: the soup can be frozen in a tightly sealed container or souper cups ( for individual servings)  for up to 3 months.

This post was originally published on March 12, 2014

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Soup
• Method: stove top / Instant Pot
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 195
• Sugar: 6.8
• Sodium: 667
• Fat: 3.5
• Saturated Fat: .5
• Unsaturated Fat: 3
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 32.4
• Fiber: 11.8
• Protein: 10.1
• Cholesterol: 0