Vegetarian Split Pea Soup 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.

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!

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.

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!)

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

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Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe

By Chelsea Lords

This Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is packed with flavor and hearty veggies—you won’t even miss the ham! Creamy split peas make it rich and perfect for dipping with hearty bread.

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

• Large, heavy-bottomed pot 5.5 quart or larger

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

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• ▢ 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
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 2 (32-ounce) containers vegetable stock I love Swanson’s; 8 cups
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups green split peas see note 1
• ▢ 2 bay leaves dry
• ▢ 1 lemon optional, for juice and zest
• ▢ Serving suggestions see note 2

Instructions 

• 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 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Cook until vegetables are soft and onion is beginning to turn golden, 7–9 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, thyme, red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
• Add in rinsed split peas, bay leaves, and vegetable stock. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, 60–90 minutes (see note 3), stirring occasionally so 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. 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 stock if it gets too thick for your preference.)
• Remove and discard bay leaves. Remove 2 cups soup and blend until completely smooth (see note 4). Return blended puree to the soup and mix through. If using, zest and juice lemon to get 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice; add to soup. Taste and season, adding additional salt/pepper as needed (I typically add another 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper).
• Ladle soup into bowls and serve with hearty buttered bread, a sprinkle of pepper, and fresh parsley or thyme if using. Add grated Parmesan cheese to individual bowls if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: 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: Here are some recommended serving suggestions: hearty bread for dipping, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and/or fresh parsley or thyme.

Note 3: The cooking time can vary a bit, depending the pot you’re using, the 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.) 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. If the soup seems too thick, add some water/broth and remove from heat. (You can always put the pot back on the heat if you want the peas more tender or the soup thicker.)

Note 4: When 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!

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 on low until warmed to desired preference. Or reheat in the microwave. It does thicken as it stores, so you’ll need to add additional vegetable stock to thin. Soup will freeze well for up to 2–3 months. Here are some best methods for thawing frozen soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 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

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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