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Combine simple wholesome ingredients like carrots, sweet potato, and bell peppers with protein-packed split peas to make a healthy Vegan Split Pea Soup. This plant-based soup is full of fiber, protein, while still being low in calories.

Bowls of vegan split pea soup on a cooling rack with a dish of dried split peas to the side.
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Whether you’re vegan, looking to add meatless meals to your weekly dinners, or just want to eat more vegetables, this vegan split pea soup recipe is perfection. You can enjoy the soup as a meal on its own, or pair it with your favorite bread. This is also a great recipe for meal planning or making in your slow cooker!

If you like hearty vegan soup recipes, you will love this black bean lentil chili and butternut sweet potato soup!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Easy Way to Eat More Veggies: A vegan vegetable soup is a great way to add meals that are full of vegetables and fiber into your diet. If you’ve been stuck trying to think of ways to get more vegetables into your meals, you need to try this soup!
  • Split Peas are Packed with Protein: Did you know that split peas are a protein powerhouse?! This soup has over 18 grams of protein, which is amazing for a plant-based recipe.
  • Ultimate Comfort Food: Who doesn’t love soup? Especially when the weather is chilly outside. This vegetarian split pea soup will warm you up, nourish your body, and help you feel full and cozy.

Ingredients

Ingredients to make vegan split pea soup in bowls on a table.
  • Split Peas: These legumes are not only full of fiber and protein, but they are also very budget-friendly. This recipe calls for green split peas, but you can use yellow if you need to. Yellow split peas have a more mellow flavor, so keep that in mind.
  • Vegetable Broth: Since this is a vegan recipe, it’s important to use a vegetable-only broth or stock. If you don’t need it to be vegan, you can also use a low-sodium chicken stock.
  • Aromatics: Onions, celery, carrots, and garlic are used to create a flavor foundation for many soup recipes. They release a strong, pleasant smell and flavor while cooking.
  • Bell Peppers: Add a little bitterness with green bell pepper and a little sweetness with red bell pepper in this delicious pea soup.
  • Sweet Potato: Increase the richness and creaminess of the soup with sweet potato. You could also use regular potatoes, but those are higher in carbs.
  • Seasonings: Fragrant and earthy seasonings like oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf add depth and flavor to this vegan soup.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations & Dietary Modifications

  • Experiment with Other Veggies: The possibilities for vegetables in this soup are endless. Root vegetables like parsnips or turnips add a delicious flavor. Leafy greens like spinach and kale add more nutrients and a gorgeous color. 
  • Try It with Lentils: If you don’t have split peas on hand, try this recipe with lentils instead. They also have a high amount of fiber and protein, and are just as affordable. You could also try my lentil and chicken soup or lentil potato soup.
  • Add More Protein: Many traditional split pea soups use ham, so feel free to add that to this recipe. You could also try ground chicken, shredded chicken, lean ground beef, or lean ground pork. If you want to keep this healthy split pea soup vegetarian, you can add tofu.

How to Make Vegan Split Pea Soup

This easy vegan soup is a great way to add more vegetables to your weekly meals, while still eating plenty of protein. You’ll need a large soup pot or a Dutch oven to make this recipe, along with a blender.

Carrots, celery, and onions added to a large pot.

Step 1: Soften the Aromatics. Heat your soup pot over medium heat and add onion, celery, bell pepper, and carrots, along with a bit of broth to it. Sauté them for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften. 

Sweet potatoes added to cook with the other vegetables.

Step 2: Add the Sweet Potatoes. Then, add the garlic and spices and saute them for an additional 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes over the aromatics.

Broth and split peas added to the pot.

Step 3: Pour in the Broth. Add the broth to your pot along with the split peas and bay leaf. 

Vegan split pea soup after cooking and a hand holding a spoonful from the pot.

Step 4: Blend It Up. Reduce the heat to medium-low and place the lid on the pot. Let the soup simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the split peas soften and burst open. Then, transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree it. Add the puree back into the soup pot and stir to combine it.

Soup and salad are a great combination. This savory balsamic bacon apple salad goes so well with split pea soup!

Expert Tips

  • Try an Immersion Blender: Instead of transferring hot soup to a blender, use an immersion blender to puree the soup a bit. An immersion blender is submerged directly into the soup pot and is great for creamy soup recipes.
  • Toast the Seasonings: Bring out more of the flavor in the seasonings by adding them to the pot with the aromatics at the beginning. This toasts them a bit and deepens the flavor.
  • A Pinch of Baking Soda: If your split peas take too long to soften, add a pinch of baking soda in with them. The baking soda acts as a tenderizer and helps soften the split peas, making the soup creamier.
Two bowls of healthy split pea soup on a table.

Storage Directions 

  • Storing: Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this soup for about 60 days.
  • Reheating: Reheat the soup in the microwave in 60-second intervals until it is heated through, or reheat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Be sure to thaw frozen soup for 24 hours in the refrigerator before reheating it.
  • Make Ahead: Soup is always a great dish for meal prep or making in advance. Freeze your soup in portions for an easy dinner during the week or to enjoy for lunch. You can also chop your vegetables a day or two in advance and keep them in the fridge until it’s time to make the soup.

Serving Suggestions

I love a good soup, especially in the fall or winter! This vegan soup recipe makes it easy to enjoy a filling, protein-packed meal without the need for meat. It’s a great way to eat more vegetables and to cut back on meat for one or two meals during the week.  

  • Nothing goes together the way soup and bread do! Make a loaf of low-carb cauliflower bread or gluten-free pumpkin corn bread to dip into your soup. 
  • Add even more veggies to dinner with a side of roasted winter vegetables. The crispy, browned texture of the vegetables pairs well with the creamy soup.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make vegan split pea soup in the Instant Pot?

If you need your soup in a hurry, the Instant Pot is a great alternative to simmering it on the stove for an hour! First, use the Saute setting to cook down your aromatics for 2-5 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients and secure the lid on the Instant Pot. Set it to Manual High pressure for 15 minutes, then do a Natural Release for 15 minutes. Use Quick Release to release the remaining pressure and blend half of the soup. It’s ready to serve in half the time!

Can I make vegan split pea soup in the slow cooker?

If the last thing you want to do when you come home is cook, try making this vegan soup in the crockpot! Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker at once, then set it to Low and cook for 8-9 hours or cook it for 5-6 hours on high. The soup is ready to serve at the end of the day with hardly any effort on your part!

A bowl of vegan split pea soup topped with chopped green onions.

More Delicious Veggie Soup Recipes

If you tried this Vegan Split Pea Soup recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.

A bowl of vegan split pea soup garnished with green onions.
5 from 6 votes
Servings: 6 servings

Vegan Split Pea Soup

Make a delicious vegan split pea soup using simple ingredients, like carrots, sweet potatoes, vegetable broth, and green split peas.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and carrots with a splash or two of broth, salt and pepper. Cook until veggies soften about 10 minutes.
  • Add garlic and spices sauté another 5 minutes. Pour broth into pot with sweet potato, split peas and bay leaf.
  • Turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer 45 minutes covered until split peas begin to soften and pop.
  • Remove half the soup, place in a blender and pulse to puree. Add pureed soup back to the pot and stir well. Serve immediately and garnish with green onions.
  • Store the soup in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 60 days.

Video

Notes

  • Use an immersion blender to puree the soup a bit instead of transferring hot soup to a blender.
  • Bring out more of the flavor in the seasonings by adding them to the aromatics at the beginning to toast them.
  • Add a pinch of baking soda to your soup to help soften the split peas and make the soup creamier.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 312kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 41mg, Potassium: 923mg, Fiber: 20g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 7642IU, Vitamin C: 47mg, Calcium: 66mg, Iron: 3mg

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

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Megan

Megan is a nutritionist who coaches women 35+ lose weight sustainably. She is the author of the Low Calorie Cookbook, fitness instructor, host of the Dish On Ditching Diets Podcast and creator of Skinny Fitalicious where you get lighter, higher protein recipes. Follow Megan on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram for the latest updates.

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50 Comments

  1. Jen says:

    I’ve so had those days, Megan. It was pretty much that way all last week! I love a good soup – one of my favorite comfort foods. My dad makes a mean split pea soup, but I gotta give this one a try! I looks amazing!

    1. Megan says:

      Thanks let me know if you do!

  2. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says:

    What a great soup!!! Split pea is never my first choice, but it is nice and hearty and delish!

    1. Megan says:

      Me either, truthfully I always forget about it.

  3. Sarah says:

    To be honest split pea soup is one I hated growing up and would never eat. My dad and his family loved it and would fight over the ham bone for it and I always hoped it didn’t come home with with us. So I’ve never made it but but I love soup and reading through the ingredients I think I might really like it. Odd? I’m guessing since there isn’t a ham bone that helps a lot! I think I’m going to have to make my first batch of Split Pea Soup.
    Thank you for linking up with Deborah and I for Meatless Monday!

    1. Megan says:

      I don’t eat ham either. The last time I had split pea soup I was a teenager and my Mom made it. This version you need to try! I guarantee you will like it.

  4. Jill @ Champagne for Everyday says:

    Tax time…it’s on the bottom of my list…ugh! In other news, this looks phenomenal! Split pea was my fave to order in restaurants as a child, but goodness knows what it had in it! Love this revamped recipe!

    1. Megan says:

      Ugh, I know! I can’t believe it’s that time of year again!

  5. Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says:

    yum I am in such a soup mode lately! I love the potato in here too great addition. Thanks for joining Sarah and I for Meatless Monday!

    1. Megan says:

      Thanks Deborah! You can’t go wrong with a little sweet potato!

  6. Blair says:

    This looks delicious, Megan! I’m a huge fan of split pea soup, but I haven’t made it for myself in years. That needs to change. Your recipe looks perfect!

    1. Megan says:

      Thanks Blair! I think the last time I had it I was a teenager. Um yeah….lots of years ago!

  7. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says:

    This looks amazing!! I’m all about soups lately. Pinned!

    1. Megan says:

      Thanks Julie! Hope you’re having a great Monday!

  8. Angela says:

    I love Split Pea soup & this GF, Vegetarian version sounds fabulous! I am pinning it & will try it later this week!

    1. Megan says:

      Oh yeah! Hope you love it!

  9. rachel @ athleticavocado says:

    i’m all about budget friendly meals that are hearty and filling as a college student. This soup looks filling enough to eat as a main and most importantly, delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    1. Megan says:

      You definitely can have this as a main. It’s quite filling!

  10. michele @ paleorunningmomma says:

    Budget friendly meals are always good! I always buy ground meat and chicken thighs to save, and lots of potatoes, of course. Fruit kills the budget though and my kids go through it lightening fast!

    1. Megan says:

      That’s a good thing! Too many kids aren’t eating enough fruits and veggies. I understand what you mean on it breaking the bank though.