Vegetable Split Pea Soup

A simple yet satisfying Split Pea Vegetable Soup recipe. This cozy meal is a great source of plant-based nutrients and protein at a budget-friendly cost! (Vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.)

If you are looking for a satisfying dish that maximizes nutrients at a budget-friendly cost, this is your meal!

The humble split pea is an ingredient that often flies under the radar, but they are such inexpensive, nutrient-packed powerhouses.

Just one cup of uncooked split peas has about 48 grams of protein. Plus it is a good source of fiber, potassium, iron, magnesium, etc.

For us, it only cost $0.34 from the bulk bins at our local food co-op which makes for a pretty awesome budget-buy.

Ingredients for Split Pea Soup

For this recipe you will simmer in a large pot on the stove:

• Dry split peas: Either yellow split peas or green split peas will work for this recipe. Split peas are a type of legume and they are a great source of plant-based nutrients.
• Yellow onion: Or use a sweet onion or white onion instead.
• Fresh garlic cloves: Or you can substitute dried garlic powder if needed.
• Carrot
• Celery
• Diced tomatoes: Either canned regular diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes. I like to change it up depending on what's available.
• Vegetable broth: Be sure to use low sodium if desired.
• Dried basil: Or substitute whatever seasonings you enjoy such as dried parsley, dried oregano, thyme, Italian seasonings, etc.
• Fresh baby spinach: Or stir in other greens like fresh kale instead.
• Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. You can also add black pepper to taste if desired.

Customizing

Veggies: Add other vegetables as you see fit. Stir in zucchini, green beans, sweet corn, yellow summer squash, poblano pepper, etc.

Herbs + spices: Change it up with your favorite seasonings. You could also use ground cumin and smoked paprika for a warmer seasoning blend. Or add a couple bay leaves for more flavor while the soup simmers. (Just be sure to remove bay leaf before serving.) Or add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to your bowl before serving.

Make it spicy: Add cayenne pepper, jalapeno, chipotle in adobo sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes. Or simply top your bowl with hot sauce to taste.

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Then simply reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy. We find they keep well for about 5 days.

Freezing note: I have not tested this yet, but I'm guessing this soup would freeze very well. Just be sure to let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container.

For more inspiration, also browse all pea recipes or vegan soup recipes.

Vegetable Split Pea Soup

Simple yet satisfying! This cozy split pea soup is a great source of plant-based nutrients + protein at a budget-friendly cost.

4.88 from 8 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings: 5 medium bowls

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

• 1 cup split peas (yellow or green, uncooked)
• 1 yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 carrots
• 2-3 stalks celery
• 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or fire-roasted)
• 5 cups vegetable broth (or 4 cups broth + 1 cup water)
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1-2 cups fresh baby spinach
• Salt/pepper to taste

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Instructions

• Dice onion.
• In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 7-8 minutes. (I use about 3 Tbsp. broth/water for no-oil sauté, adding more as needed.)
• Meanwhile, mince garlic. Dice carrots and celery.
• When onion is translucent, add garlic, carrots, celery, and dried basil. Stir and sauté 1-2 minutes.
• Add diced tomatoes (with juice) and vegetable broth.
• Rinse split peas very well and add to pot. Stir.
• Bring to a light boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45-50 minutes or until split peas are tender. (They should still have a slight bite - not mushy.)
• Stir in spinach (roughly chopped if desired) during last minute of cooking. Salt/pepper to taste before serving to help enhance the flavors.

Notes

For smoky/spicy flavor: Use a can of fire-roasted tomatoes in place of regular diced tomatoes. (Or top with hot sauce before serving.)

Thickness: I enjoy soup thick + dense. If you prefer yours more brothy, either decrease the split peas (to 2/3 - 3/4 cup) or increase the amount of broth.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts

Vegetable Split Pea Soup

Amount per Serving

Calories

187

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

1

g

2

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Potassium

 

747

mg

21

%

Carbohydrates

 

36

g

12

%

Fiber

 

12

g

50

%

Sugar

 

10

g

11

%

Protein

 

11

g

22

%

Vitamin A

 

5372

IU

107

%

Vitamin C

 

15

mg

18

%

Calcium

 

82

mg

8

%

Iron

 

3

mg

17

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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If you are enjoying this vegan Split Pea Soup recipe with vegetables, also check out:

• Lentil Vegetable Soup
• Kidney Bean, Spinach, Orzo Soup
• Smoky Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup
• Tomato Orzo Soup with Spinach

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