This Yellow Split Pea Soup Recipe tastes incredible, and is easy to make on the stove, instant pot or crockpot. You’ll love how easy this vegan split pea soup comes together, with no advance soaking necessary. All of the great flavor you expect from a homemade pea soup, in a healthy, vegan version.
This post has been updated from the original published in December 2018.
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Nothing says comfort on a cold day as much as a cozy pot of soup on the stove. This healthy split pea soup tastes just like my Grandmother used to make. My updated version takes just 10 minutes to prep and then you can make this healthy plant based soup in your instant pot, crock pot or on the stove top.
Can you make tasty split pea soup without ham? Absolutely! In this easy yellow split pea soup recipe, miso paste steps in to provide rich flavor and umami satisfaction! So delicious, even meat eaters will adore….and ask for more!
If you’ve been making traditional split pea soup with a mix, you may want to read the label to see what’s in that package. So often, there is MSG, or other additives that we now know are health hazards. My modern take on a classic recipe puts health at the forefront for a nutritious and delicious plant based soup everyone will love.
Ingredient Notes
- YELLOW SPLIT PEAS: A great source of plant based protein and soluble fiber. If you can’t find any yellow split peas, substitute with green.
- MISO PASTE: I often use miso in vegan recipes to add that umami flavor punch that others rely on pork products for. It’s super easy to use and stays good in your fridge for at least 3 months.
- OLIVE OIL—OR VEGGIE BROTH: You decide if you want to saute the onions, carrots and celery in olive oil or broth…the final soup will be delicious, either way.
- VEGGIE BROTH: Make your own. It’s easy with this vegetable stock recipe. It’s the best way to control the amount of sodium and quality/amount of oil when using broth in recipes. I use souper cubes to keep some in the freezer in 4 cup, 1 cup and Tablespoon increments to help with last minute needs.
- TURMERIC: Anti-inflammatory, plus offers up a gorgeous golden color to this soup instead of the usual mucky green you find in homemade pea soup.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Tastes incredible….a direct quote from Hubby, every single time I make it.
- Plenty of plant based protein and fiber….to keep you satisfied.
- Nutrient Dense….a small investment in calories for a big return.
- 10 minutes hands on time…the rest is passive.
- Made with pantry staples plus the trifecta (carrots, onions, celery) that you always have.
- Budget friendly….this meal with seriously stretch your food dollars.
- Meal prep and freezer friendly.
- Travels well. PERFECT to drop off to a friend in need of comfort.
- ONE POT….super easy clean up.
How to make it
Start by prepping your ingredients. Dice celery and onions, slice carrots into rounds. Make sure to pick over the yellow split peas and rinse them well.
Heat your dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onions in either olive oil or veggie broth until beginning to soften. Then add the celery, carrots, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If pan becomes dry, add 1-2 Tablespoons veggie broth.
Once veggies are softened, you’ll add the broth, split peas, fresh thyme and bay leaf to the pot. Cook for 50 minutes, uncovered, or until split peas are tender.
Last, stir in the miso. Bringing miso to a boil will kill off the live probiotics where the “good bacteria” live, so it’s best to stir it in at the end of the cooking process. Stir the miso into ½ cup water or broth to partially dilute. Then it will be easier to incorporate into the whole pot.
Make sure to remove the bay leaf and the stems of the thyme before you partially puree. I find this easiest to do with an immersion blender, but you could also transfer in batches to your blender and then pour back into the pot. Leave some unblended for some chunky texture to your soup.
Garnish with some fresh herbs and serve warm. If you’re using a beautiful dutch oven, take it straight to the table to serve out of. No fuss…less dishes to wash.
To make Split Pea Soup in the Instant Pot
- Use the “saute” function first to soften the onions, celery and carrots with the spices.
- Add remaining ingredients, mix well and seal setting to “high pressure” for 20 minutes.
- Use the natural release for 10 minutes and then release the pressure valve.
- Remove bay leaf and thyme stems. Use a fork to dilute miso with ½ cup water and then stir into the pot. Partially puree using an immersion blender.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and crushed red pepper and enjoy.
To make Split Pea Soup in the Slow Cooker
- Saute onions, celery and carrots with spices until softened.
- Transfer to slow cooker along with remaining ingredients. Mix well to ensure miso paste is fully incorporated into broth.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- Remove bay leaf and thyme stems. Use a fork to dilute miso with ½ cup water and then stir into the pot. Partially puree using an immersion blender.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and crushed red pepper and enjoy.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Dilute miso paste with ½ cup water before adding to soup. It will make it easier to incorporate into the soup.
- Mix the miso in at the end so you don’t kill off the live probiotics that act as “good bacteria” in the gut.
- Taste for seasoning, adding additional Tablespoon miso paste, if desired, for a more robust flavor.
- Make your own vegetable broth to control the amount of sodium in your soup.
- Leave some chunks of carrots and split peas instead of pureeing all of it, for varied texture.
- Make a double batch, to have some in the freezer, in individual serving sizes. Perfect for a quick and easy lunch.
- Don’t forget the black pepper. It helps make the anti-inflammatory curcumin found in the turmeric bioavailable for absorption.
- It’s ok if your soup cooks a little longer (and the split peas are more mushy), you’ll just want to continue to stir from bottom and add a bit more liquid so the bottom doesn’t burn.
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📖 Recipe
Yellow Split Pea Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil*
- 2 medium onions diced (approx. 2 cups)
- 3 large carrots sliced into rounds
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 teaspoon dried turmeric
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup dried yellow split peas picked over and rinsed
- 4 cups Veggie Stock
- 2 cups water divided
- 3 Tablespoons light miso
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried.
Instructions
- Heat oil or veggie broth in dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the celery, carrots, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring once in a while so veggies don’t burn. If pan becomes dry, add more veggie broth 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- Stir in veggie stock, 1 ½ cups of the water, split peas bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Stir and taste to see if split peas are tender. Soup may need an additional 10-15 minutes for split peas to soften.
- Remove bay leaf and thyme stems. Partially blend either with immersion blender, or by taking half the soup to blender, pureeing and then mixing back into soup pot. Mix the miso paste with remaining ½ cup water. Make sure all of miso has fully dissolved into water. Then stir that mixture by hand until thoroughly mixed into the soup.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs and crushed red pepper to taste.
Notes
MEAL PREP AND STORAGE TIPS:
- Prep ahead: Yes! This soup reheats like a dream, so go ahead and make it when it’s convenient for you and gently reheat a whole pot, or just one serving when you’re ready to eat.
- Store: Make sure soup is completely cool before storing in airtight containers. Store in the fridge for up to a week or freezer for 3 months.
- Freeze: Use freezer quality zip top bags or glass mason jars to freeze in quantities you know you will use. Remember, soup will expand when it freezes, so leave room at the top so the jar doesn’t crack.
- Reheat: Gently reheat on the stovetop until heated through. If soup is frozen, thaw on the counter for an hour or overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Deborah Yablon
Love, love, love this recipe and frankly, many of your vegan recipes that I have more recently tried. Trying to be healthier with a plant-based diet and enjoy making soups – especially in the winter – so refreshing, nourishing and satisfying. I will admit that I substitute the chicken broth for the veggie broth – homemade if possible as we are not fully vegan and I love the extra flavor that the chicken broth provides. The miso addition however works well as a umami bomb!
Thank you Debra! 🙂
Debra Klein
Wonderful! This is a great soup recipe for those transitioning to a more plant based approach to eating….you’re so right about the miso paste bringing so much flavor satisfaction!
Heather
I grew up eating split pea soup like this one. My mom made it with yellow peas, carrots, and a smoked ham hock to give it flavor. It was delicious. Since going vegan I have wanted to get that flavor (and all the good memories that eating a family favorite brings) without using meat. So I add chipotle peppers and a bit of ancho chili powder when I add the miso and it brings that nice smoking flavor to this heart- and soul-warming dish. Thanks for a great recipe that keeps on giving! Delicious! I make it throughout the year. And it freezes well, too!
Debra Klein
Thanks for sharing. I love how our food stories tie in memories! The ancho chili powder sounds like a delicious addition to this vegan split pea soup.I’ll try it next time.
River
In Step 2 it says “Make sure all of miso has been incorporated into base” which sounds like you’re supposed to mix it thoroughly into the broth/what’s in the pot. Then, in Step 3, it says to add the miso to warm water, then add to the pot. And then there’s a note at the bottom that says not to boil the miso or it loses its probiotic qualities. Please remove the confusing miso instruction in Step 2! That said, this soup is amazing, dead probiotics and all.
Debra Klein
Thanks for letting me know! I changed plug-ins for the recipe card and many recipes didn’t transfer well. I’ve fixed it, so it will be clear for everyone. Glad you liked it….it’s a favorite of ours too!
Aubrey
This soup was delicious! I think the miso and turmeric are what helped really make it great. However, I had to cook the soup for probably 45 minutes longer than anticipated to get the peas to soften.
Debra Klein
Wow….that’s a long time for the split peas. Older split peas will take much longer to soften, and would be helped by soaking them first. Had yours been in the pantry a long time?
Carol Magenau
I’m late to the party, but really like this recipe. Will definitely make on a regular basis, thanks!