Vegan Split Pea Soup

Hearty, thick, and full of veggies, vegan split pea soup is filling, delicious, and easy to make. Make it on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot or throw everything in the crockpot and walk out the door.

As soon as the temperatures get cooler outside, I crave hot, savory soups. I love soup, regardless of the type, and the thicker and creamier the soup, the better. Vegan crockpot split pea soup, for example, is one of my favorites because not only is it thick and creamy, and it's loaded with veggies.

Jump to:

• Split Peas Vs. Lentils
• Stovetop, Crockpot, or Instant Pot Cooking 
• Recipe Ingredients
• Recipe Ingredient Substitutions
• Serving the Soup
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Other Vegan Soups to Try
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Even though many people don't like peas, split peas are different than fresh or frozen peas. Compared to lentils, split peas come from plants designed explicitly for drying peas and creating split peas. So despite their commonalities, split peas and lentils are different.

Split Peas Vs. Lentils

Split peas, a form of legume, somewhat like lentils, are yellow or green and harvested to be dried. When harvested, split peas are split in half, which is why they are called split peas. Split peas, for instance, do not need to be soaked because of being split in half. Unlike lentils, split peas become creamy when cooked through.

Similar to lentils, split peas are high in fiber, and protein and very low in fat. For that reason, eating split peas as well as lentils is highly recommended on a plant-based diet. 

Stovetop, Crockpot, or Instant Pot Cooking 

Despite my love for my crockpot, I decided to make my vegan split pea soup recipe on the stovetop. Since I made the soup on Sunday, I didn't need to use my crockpot while meal prepping.

But, using an Instant Pot is even easier! Regardless of your preferred cooking method, the soup tastes fabulous any way it's cooked. 

But, if you want to use your crockpot instead, it is just as easy as the stovetop or Instant Pot version. The benefit of the crockpot, which I find pretty appealing, is throwing everything in the base, turning it on, and walking away.

Furthermore, you can put all the ingredients in the crockpot base, refrigerate it overnight, and turn it on before leaving for work. As a result, it isn't necessary to add the ingredients in the morning since no one has time. 

If you opt for the stovetop method as I did, it is just as simple. The only difference is a quick step-by-step process and occasionally stirring while the soup simmers. Either way makes a huge pot of soup for lunch, and dinner or packs well in containers for work. 

Recipe Ingredients

• Vegetable Broth: I use organic vegetable broth from Costco.
• Dried Split Peas: I buy dried split peas in the bulk section of the grocery store.
• White Onion: White onions have a strong, sharp, and not very sweet flavor.
• Carrots: Cooked carrots taste earthy sweet, similar to a sweet potato.
• Celery: Cooked celery has a milder and sweeter taste compared to raw celery.
• Jalapeno: Cooking jalapenos deepens and enhances their flavor all for just a few calories and a negligible amount of fat, as well as a boost of vitamin C and potassium.
• Baking Potatoes: Skins on or off; it's your choice However, leaving the skins on adds to the nutritional value of the soup.
• Garlic: When garlic is sauteed with onions, t takes on a deep warm flavor.
• Liquid Smoke:  I used a hickory flavor liquid smoke, but there are other flavor options for individual preference.
• Garlic Powder: Garlic powder adds another layer of flavor.
• Onion Powder: The onion powder enhances the overall flavors in the vegan split pea soup.
• Fresh Thyme: Thyme is earthy and minty, minty and citrus-laced, savory but also sweet, and slightly woodsy but also flowery, with traces of lavender or toned-down rosemary.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Red pepper flakes are made from a range of different peppers and the seeds remain.
• Sea Salt: Salt enhances the flavors in the soup.
• Pepper: I used fresh ground pepper.
• Paprika: I used sweet paprika, but to add an additional smokiness, use smoked paprika.
• Bay Leaf: Bay leaf, also known as laurel leaf, is mostly used in soups and broths because it can enhance the aroma and flavor.

Recipe Ingredient Substitutions

• Make your own vegetable broth, r a combination of water and Yondu, a plant-based vegan seasoning sauce.
• Pigeon peas are often used to replace split peas in recipes.
• Choose any potatoes for this recipe.
• Crushed red pepper is used interchangeably with crushed red pepper flakes.
• Skip the jalapeno and red pepper flakes if you don't like a little spice.
• Fresh or dried, oregano makes a great thyme substitute. The flavors are very similar, both being in the mint family, and it's an almost imperceptible switch. You can use oregano for thyme in virtually any recipe, no matter what type of cuisine it is.
• If you don't have a bay leaf, skip it.
• Add any vegetables you enjoy. However, I suggest using a vegetable chopper so the vegetables are all cut the same size.

Serving the Soup

Vegan split pea soup is hearty, but adding more vegetables makes it more nutritious.

This vegan split pea soup recipe will fill you up with six vegetables without any oil or anything added other than a plethora of veggies and organic vegetable broth. This soup is more like a stew! 

Once cooked through, the split peas become creamy and break down, making a thick broth full of vegetables. Each bite is heartier than the last; the more you eat, the happier you will feel. 

If you're following a plant-based lifestyle, a variety of vegetables is a must, and this soup packs it all in one bowl. You can even hide those "not so favorite veggies" in the soup without any little ones knowing. 

And don't forget to serve the vegan split pea soup with some crusty bread! YUM!

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• I suggest rinsing the split peas before adding them to the soup. Similar to lentils, split peas often have dirt or debris that should be removed before cooking.
• Chop the vegetables into small and similar sizes, so they cook evenly. I suggest using a vegetable chopper on the small chopping setting.
• If you enjoy soup as much as I do, consider doubling the recipe and use soup freezer cubes to freeze and store your favorite soup recipes.
• If you don't like slightly spicy foods, skip the jalapeno and red pepper flakes.
• When working with jalapenos, always wear gloves and remove the seeds and veins of the jalapeno before chopping.
• If you like soup extra spicy, add a few jalapeno seeds into the soup pot.

If you are craving a rich and hearty soup recipe, give this vegan split pea soup a try. Honestly, I could eat soup every day of my life. Soups on! 

Other Vegan Soups to Try

If you love this vegan split pea soup recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you.  

📖 Recipe