Description
This Vegan Split Pea Soup is a hearty and nutritious meal made with green split peas, sweet potatoes, and a blend of aromatic vegetables and spices. It’s easy to prepare, oil-free, and can be customized to your texture preference, whether chunky or creamy. Perfect for a cozy, healthy lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 large carrot
- 2 ribs celery
- 12 oz. sweet potato (or Yukon gold potato)
- 5-6 cloves garlic
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
Others
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- 1 lb. green split peas (about 2 heaping cups dry)
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: Dice the onion, carrot, and celery. Peel and dice the sweet potato or Yukon gold potato.
- Sauté aromatics: In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for 7-8 minutes using 3 tablespoons of water or vegetable broth for an oil-free method, adding more liquid as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Mince garlic: While vegetables are cooking, mince the garlic cloves finely.
- Add potatoes and seasonings: Stir in the diced potatoes, minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and salt into the pot. Sauté everything together for about 1 minute to release the flavors.
- Add broth and peas: Pour in the vegetable broth. Rinse the split peas thoroughly, removing any debris or discolored pieces, then drain and add them to the pot.
- Cook: Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 1 hour or until the split peas are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish and serve: Serve the soup as is for a chunky texture or use an immersion blender to blend it to your preferred creaminess. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Split peas: 1 lb. dry split peas is equivalent to about 2 heaping cups.
- Blending: Use an immersion blender for easy blending or a regular blender in batches. Be very careful with hot liquids to avoid splatters.
- Make it spicy: Add chipotle or cayenne pepper for heat, or top the soup with hot sauce before serving.
- This recipe is oil-free and vegan, making it a healthy and wholesome choice.
- Recipe originally published February 2014 and updated October 2023.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 medium bowl (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 319
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: Estimated 400 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 21 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
