Home > Soups & Stews > Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe January 9, 2022 | 37 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe is robustly seasoned and richly flavored — trust me, you won’t be missing the ham! With loads of veggies and tender creamy split green peas, this soup is the perfect canvas for dipping a hunk of crusty bread. Prefer to make Split Pea Soup with ham instead? Try our original Split Pea Soup recipe that uses leftover ham bone or ham hocks. Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Split pea soup is known for using a ham bone to deliver a richly flavored broth and then having plenty of shredded ham in each bite of soup. But when my vegetarian sister requested a meat-free version of split pea soup that could still taste as rich and indulgent without ham, I was definitely up for the challenge. In the weeks of testing this soup, I found the main thing a vegetarian version needs: salt. I know, nothing groundbreaking here, but ham adds so much salt to a regular split pea soup, that when leaving it out, there is a need for quite a bit more. Not only do we add a good amount of salt to this soup, but we also add a robustly salted vegetable stock. These two additions make the flavors in this soup so vibrant that you may find you aren’t missing the ham after all! Beyond the salt, we add a bit more olive oil to help replicate the richness that a ham bone adds to the broth. A touch of lemon zest and juice adds a kick of acidity, freshness, and additional vibrancy. And finally, we add a few additional seasonings you might not find in a typical split pea soup, but they truly seal the deal here — this is the best vegetarian split pea soup! QUICK TIP It might seem like this soup is missing out on protein, but split peas are an incredible source of plant-based protein! In 1 cup of uncooked split peas, there are 48 grams of protein — woah! What Are Split Peas? Green split peas are simply dried peas that have been cut in half (hence the “split” part of the name). This means they’ll cook a lot faster and don’t need to soak overnight. Green peas naturally have two halves, so the splitting takes place naturally during the drying process. Split peas absorb the surrounding flavors of a dish, making them a great canvas for a recipe. They do have a slightly earthy flavor with a subtle sweetness (just like sweet green peas do). When they are cooked for a long period of time (like in this recipe), they become very tender resulting in a creamy texture that also nicely thickens the soup. QUICK TIP Any split peas will work, but in our testing, we preferred Bob’s Red Mill®! (Not sponsored) Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Serving Suggestions There is nothing quite like some crusty warm bread for dunking in this soup! Add some softened butter on some warmed bread and go to town. Otherwise, some croutons (homemade or store-bought) topping this Vegetarian Split Pea Soup would also be nice. As far as other sides go, this Caesar Salad, Garden Salad, or Italian Salad would all be nice complementary additions to the dinner table. If you’d like some more protein, serve some roasted chickpeas on the side. Split Pea Soup Notes The cooking time can vary a lot, depending on a few factors including the pot you’re cooking the soup in, the actual temperature of the stovetop, the specific split peas you’re using, and personal preference. If you’d like the peas to have more of a bite to them, err on the side of less time. For ultra-creamy peas that practically disintegrate, you’ll be on the upper-end, time-wise. How tender should the peas be? The peas only need to be cooked until they’re tender, but if you prefer a creamier/smoother texture, continue cooking until the peas soften and begin to fall apart. If the soup seems too thick, add in some water/broth and remove from heat. (You can always put the pot back on the heat if you decide you want the peas more tender or for the soup to be thicker). We recommend a pot with a heavy bottom: That way, you won’t need to be as concerned with the split peas scorching on the bottom (which they have a tendency to do!) QUICK TIP Unfortunately, split peas do not have an indefinite shelf life and old split peas won’t soften properly. As the split peas age, they will dry out and take a lot longer (and require more liquid) to properly soften. Check the color — if they are pale, they’re probably old. STORAGE Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Storage How to reheat: This soup stores nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. To reheat, add the soup to a small pot and heat over low heat until warmed to desired preference. Or reheat in the microwave (make sure to cover it so it doesn’t splatter!). It does thicken as it stores, so you’ll need to add in some additional vegetable stock to thin. Freezing: Vegetarian Split Pea Soup will freeze well for up to 2 to 3 months. Here are some best methods for thawing frozen soup. More vegetarian soup recipes White Bean Soup with fresh basil pesto Healthy Minestrone Soup with quinoa Creamy Vegetable Soup with loads of veggies Vegetarian Chili with beans and veggies Broccoli Cheddar Soup with shredded carrots FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe 5 from 26 votes - Review this recipe This Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe is robustly seasoned and richly flavored -- trust me, you won't be missing the ham! With loads of veggies and tender creamy split green peas, this soup is the perfect canvas for dipping a hunk of crusty bread. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe 5 from 26 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe is robustly seasoned and richly flavored -- trust me, you won't be missing the ham! With loads of veggies and tender creamy split green peas, this soup is the perfect canvas for dipping a hunk of crusty bread. Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup, Vegetarian Cuisine American, Healthy, Vegetarian Keyword split pea soup, Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes Total Time 2 hours Servings 6 servings Calories 206kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $6.12 Ingredients▢ 1/4 cup olive oil▢ 2 cups finely diced yellow onion (~2 medium onions)▢ 1-1/2 cups finely diced carrot (~4 carrots)▢ 1-1/2 cups finely diced celery (~4 stalks)▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic (~4 cloves)▢ Fine sea salt & pepper▢ 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning▢ 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme▢ 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes▢ 2 containers (32 oz.) good quality vegetable stock (we love Swanson) (8 cups)▢ 1-1/2 cups green split peas Note 1▢ 2 bay leaves (dry)▢ Optional, but recommended: zest & juice of 1 lemon, crusty bread for dipping, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley or thymeUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsVEGGIES AND SPLIT PEAS: In a large (5.5 quart or larger) heavy-bottomed pot, over medium heat, add olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and salt/pepper to taste (I add 2 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp pepper). Cook until vegetables are softened and onion is beginning to turn golden, 7-9 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, thyme, red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. COOK: Add in rinsed split peas and bay leaves. Pour in vegetable stock. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, for 60-90 minutes (Note 2), stirring occasionally so the peas don't catch on the bottom of the pot. The soup should be ever so slightly bubbling at the edges, but not rapidly boiling or bubbling. Cook until split peas are cooked down and soup is thickened to desired consistency. (You'll want to stir a bit more frequently as the soup begins to thicken. Add a splash more broth if it gets too thick for your preference.)BLEND: When ready to serve, remove and discard bay leaves. Remove 2 cups of the soup and blend until completely smooth (Note 3). Return blended puree to the soup and mix through. Add in 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice if using. Taste and season, adding additional salt/pepper as needed (I typically add another 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper).SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls and serve with buttered crusty bread, a sprinkle of cracked pepper, and fresh parsley or thyme if using. Add grated Parmesan cheese to individual bowls if desired. Enjoy!STORAGE: This soup stores nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. To reheat, add the soup to a small pot and heat over low heat until warmed to desired preference. Or reheat in the microwave (make sure to cover it so it doesn’t splatter!) It does thicken as it stores, so you'll need to add in some additional vegetable stock to thin. Freezing: Soup will freeze well for up to 2-3 months. Here are some best methods for thawing frozen soup. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Split peas: Be sure to use fairly fresh split peas for this soup! Old split peas can be dried out and may not soften in the soup. Rinse in a mesh sieve and pick through for any debris before using. Note 2: Cooking time: The cooking time can vary a bit, depending on a few factors, including the pot you're cooking the soup in, the actual temperature of the stovetop, the specific split peas you're using, and personal preference. Cook until split peas are tender. (If peas aren't getting tender, you may need to increase the heat slightly.) How tender should the peas be? The peas only need to be cooked until they're tender to the bite, but if you prefer a creamier/smoother texture, continue cooking until the peas soften and begin to fall apart. Err on the cautious side; if the soup seems too thick, add in some water/broth and remove from heat. (You can always put the pot back on the heat if you decide you want the peas more tender or the soup thicker.) Note 3: Blending: Be sure to remove the center knob from the blender lid and replace that with a clean kitchen towel to avoid splatters. The blender needs to be able to release steam! Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3611IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
This soup is extremely flavourful and just as satisfying as the version with ham. Not better but just as good . Simple ingredients and easy to make. Everyone loved it. Thanks for this wonderful recipe! Reply
Such a great recipe. My entire family was in love and will be a staple in our house from now on. 🙏🏼🙏🏼 Reply
Excellent recipe. I used Better than Boullion vegetarian base. I swapped in celery salt and seed since I lacked celery, and added a dash of tamari instead of salt. I opted not to add lemon. It’s delicious. I appreciate you sharing! Reply
Absolutely delicious! Wonderful flavor from basic ingredients. I added about 5 medium diced potatoes along with an additional 3-4 cups of broth to mine half way through cooking and it was so good! I used an Emerson blender at the end to purée the soup a bit but left some chunks for texture. Thank you for a great recipe! Reply
This Vegetarian Split Pea soup is by far the best recipe I’ve ever made of this kind of soup!! Made it today and it is absolutely delicious!!! Love the idea of blending the 2 cups and saving the rest for texture. The ingredients are perfect, only spice i omitted was Cumin as I dont care for that flavor, but otherwise followed this to a T!! I try to eat vegetarian and searched for a good recipe for this kind of soup and I’ve found it!! I don’t eat ham and would not have missed it anyway. A huge THANK YOU for posting this wonderful and super nutritious recipe! I’ve saved it and it will be my forever Vegetarian Split Pea soup recipe! 5 STARS!!! Reply
Wow that soup was superb! I think I added too much lemon , which i would hold back in the future… But so nourishing and satisfying! Reply
Just the small amount of cumin really gives depth to these flavors. I used fresh lemon thyme from my garden with the bay leaf, salt and pepper as my only spices. Incredible flavor profile! Thank you for this recipe. Reply
Made this bc my BF doesn’t like split pea with ham (something’s wrong with him! lol). This soup was REALLY flavorful. I was trying to cut fat so made it in the crockpot and cut the sauteeing with olive oil. I should have used less broth with the crockpot though as I needed to simmer on the stove and use cornstarch to thicken. Will definitely make it again when I have to be ham free. Reply
Thanks for this yummy vegetarian split pea soup recipe! I have always added potatoes and didn’t even realize they weren’t in this recipe until I had already chopped it up..lol. So I threw it in! Really enjoyed your recipe. Thanks again! Reply
Followed the recipe to a T. It’s very salty and too much thyme. I have had much better split pea soup. Reply
What type of salt did you use? Also salt is a suggestion, always season with salt and pepper to your taste 🙂 Reply
So delish! First time I made Split Pea and I’m hooked. The spice mix makes it! (I used tri-color carrots) Reply
I made this soup last night. Fantastic recipe! The cumin really added a nice touch. I topped my soup with a little bit of parmesan, parsley, and parmesan crisps. So delicious. Will definitely be making this again and again! Reply
This recipe is so so good! The cumin and lemon zest / juice are killing it! Awesome recipe, thank you for sharing! Reply
I wanted to add (for anyone else that might find this useful) that I have to eat a pretty strict low fat (non fat if possible) diet. I made this soup because of your spice blend and because it’s vegetarian. I omitted all but about 2t of the olive oil and added potatoes par boiled in a nice broth, and some chiles de arbol and it was still really flavorful and filling. I cannot express my thanks enough! Reply
