Cozy Vegan Split Pea Soup with creamy sweet potatoes and a smoky touch! Our whole family goes wild for this simple, satisfying meal filled with plant-based protein and nutrients… and it’s only 7 healthy ingredients! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)

Split pea soup sure doesn’t like to sit pretty for a photograph. The ingredients precooked? Lovely. But after they become soup? Well… you can see that transformation for yourself 😉 It may be a humble-looking soup (especially after it’s blended which is our favorite way to enjoy) but don’t let that deter you because the taste is all kinds of smoky & savory & DELICIOUS.
This has been my daughter’s most requested meal for the past 4 years now. I love how it’s only 7 simple ingredients but packed with flavor. It makes a great vegan/gluten-free option with tons of fiber, protein, iron, and plenty of other goodness.

It makes a pretty big batch so be sure to cut in half if desired! And if you don’t mind a spicy kick, I suggest adding chipotle which gives another beautiful layer of smokiness. (This vegan Everyday Split Pea Soup is also a lovely way to enjoy split peas if you’re interested.)
PS – come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make or adapt this! (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated – thank you!)

Smoky Split Pea & Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups split peas (1 lb. bag)
- 1 large onion
- 1-2 carrots
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (more to taste)
- 4 cups vegetable broth + 3 cups water
- Salt to taste
- Optional: tomatoes, spinach, kale, chipotle, hot sauce for topping
Instructions
- Peel and dice sweet potatoes. Dice onion and carrot.
- In a large stockpot over med-high heat, saute onion and carrot for 5-7 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/veg broth for no-oil saute method.)
- Meanwhile, mince garlic.
- Add sweet potatoes, garlic, and smoked paprika to the pot. Stir and saute 1 minute.
- Add vegetable broth and 3 cups water.
- Rinse split peas well and drain. Add to pot.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until split peas are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Salt to taste. Serve as is, or blend* (our favorite!)
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)


Enjoying this vegan split pea soup? Also feel free to check out this Quinoa Potato Soup, Lentil Orzo Soup or Loaded Veggie & Black Bean Quesadillas!
mmm this looks great!
Thank you!
This looks awesome and I am very excited to try it! Quick question…do you pre-soak the split peas or just add them in?
Hi! No, I don’t soak mine. I just rinse, drain, and toss them in! Hope you enjoy 🙂
I'll definitely be given this a try. I have about 1/2 bag of split peas to use up from an old recipe, and just bought a couple of sweet potatoes. I love all of the flavors and am sure it will be great.
So great! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Can't wait to make this soup..thanks for sharing!
Hope you enjoy!
Very good! Love the way the smoked paprika mellowed out with a low, slow cook time. I ended up letting it simmer until the peas had completely broken down on their own, just as I normally do with pea soup. I used yellow split peas, so this was such a pretty color at the end. I served it with biscuits and jam.
That sounds great! Love that you used yellow split peas. Thanks for the feedback, Alyssa 🙂
How many servings does this make?