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Vegan Split Pea Soup is a healthy, low calorie soup recipe made vegetarian and gluten free with simple, wholesome ingredients. An easy, hearty bowl of comfort packed with veggies and flavor. Even meat eaters love this recipe! Low Calorie + Vegan + Gluten Free
Something I coach all my clients on is adding more veggies and plant-based foods to their meals and snacks. Surprise surprise!
The truth is vegetables are vitamins for the body and as we age and stop paying attention to the foods we eat, we start to feel low energy, have more hunger and cravings and just don't feel great overall. Lack of vegetables (aka fiber) is a big reason for that.
Most people know they need to eat more vegetables, but get stuck figuring out how to add them.
Soups are a great way to pack in a lot of vegetables and fiber especially during the winter and it can feel like true comfort food too!
This healthy split pea soup recipe is a great recipe for doing just that. Honestly, there are so many things I love about this recipe where do I begin?
Healthy Split Pea Soup
While I am definitely a meat eater, this Vegan Split Pea Soup is my FAVORITE soup recipe I've ever made. It's thick, creamy and made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
I promise even if you're a meat eater like me, you will love it! Here's a few more reasons why I love this recipe!
- Low Calorie - Each serving is 312 calories. That is considered low calories, but the most important part is that the macronutrients that make up these calories are BALANCED. This is always more important than the calorie number itself.
- High Protein - There's 18 grams of plant-based protein in this recipe. It's very difficult to get this much protein from plants, but this is one of the reasons why I love split peas. They have a TON of protein plus fiber. Such a powerhouse food!
- High Fiber - 20 grams of fiber per serving! Split peas are naturally high fiber and I talk about the importance of high fiber foods in this free class. It's so important for weight loss and hormone balancing. While there are 55 carbs in this recipe, the net carbs are actually only 35 because of all the fiber.
- Gluten Free - All ingredients are naturally gluten free.
- Low Fat - This recipe only has 3 grams of total fat per serving. One of my tricks for keeping fat in check is substituting broth which I do in this recipe.
Ingredients For Vegan Split Pea Soup
Here's what you need to make this meatless split pea soup! You will also need a blender and large pot to make this recipe.
- Onion
- Celery, Carrots
- Green & Red Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Sweet Potato
- Split Peas
- Vegetable Broth, low sodium
- Oregano, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Bay Leaf
- Green Onion
How To Make Split Pea Soup Vegetarian
Here's the instructions for making vegetarian split pea soup. It's surprisingly simple to make and so worth it because every bite is phenomenal!
To start, heat a large pot and add the diced onion, celery, bell pepper and carrots to it with a splash of the broth. Cook a few minutes until the veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic and spices and cook another few minutes.
Next add the remaining broth, sweet potato, split peas and bay leaf. Cover and bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and simmer 45 minutes or until the split peas begin to soften.
Remove half the soup and place in a blender then pulse to puree. Add the pureed soup back into the pot. Serve immediately garnished with green onions.
If you did want to add ham or another protein source to this recipe, you can easily do that. Simple add the protein to the soup while it simmers for 45 minutes so that it warms with the soup!
Substitutions For Split Pea Soup
Here's the substitutions and additions you can make for this meatless split pea soup. Please remember that when you make substitutions, it will change the nutrition data you see below in the recipe card.
- Veggies - You can swap or omit any of the veggies in this recipe to your liking. The combination below really works well and makes the most flavorful recipe so just know that it you omit or swap any of the veggies that the flavor may not be the same.
- Protein - You can add ham or another protein to this recipe. Simply add the protein when you simmer the soup in step 3 for 45 minutes.
- Broth - Any broth or stock may be used. I always use low sodium.
- Spices - You can swap or omit any of the spices. Again, the combination I have in the recipe makes the best split pea soup flavor so if you change them I cannot guarantee the same results.
- Split Peas - If you don't have green split peas for split pea soup, you can use yellow split peas instead or lentils would be a good substitute. I love this lentil soup!
Vegan Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup Onion peeled and diced
- 2 Celery Stalks diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 cup Carrots peeled and diced
- 1 cup Sweet Potato peeled and diced
- 2 cups Split Peas
- 6 cups Vegetable Broth low sodium
- 1/2 teaspoon Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1 Green Onion sliced, for garnish
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
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my nutrition clients.
Jody - Fit at 58 says
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!!! 🙂
Megan says
Thanks friend!
lindsay says
soup is the ultimate comfort food. the thicker the better, right? love split pea!
Megan says
Agree!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
You read my mind! I have a huge jar of split peas that I've been wanting to use and this looks perfect. Plus, less than $2 a bowl? I'd say it's definitely a smart person's meal! 🙂
Megan says
You would love this vegetarian version Sarah!
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
I don't think that I have ever had split pea soup. Well, I take that back, I vaguely remember one time. One of the best soups I've ever had was a spring pea soup, though. I will have to try this! Pinning
Megan says
You will like this one Suz, promise!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
Yes so being a girlboss is all about eating super cheap. Gone are the days when I can just buy all the food and play with recipes. Now I try really hard to check prices and only buy what we need. Love this soup though, can't go wrong with all these veggies, fiber, protein and saving money!! Woot woot!
Megan says
You need to share some of your budget tips sometime Sam!
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!
Megan says
Thanks let me know if you do!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
What a great soup!!! Split pea is never my first choice, but it is nice and hearty and delish!
Megan says
Me either, truthfully I always forget about it.
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!
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.
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!
Megan says
Ugh, I know! I can't believe it's that time of year again!
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!
Megan says
Thanks Deborah! You can't go wrong with a little sweet potato!
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!
Megan says
Thanks Blair! I think the last time I had it I was a teenager. Um yeah....lots of years ago!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
This looks amazing!! I'm all about soups lately. Pinned!
Megan says
Thanks Julie! Hope you're having a great Monday!
Angela says
I love Split Pea soup & this GF, Vegetarian version sounds fabulous! I am pinning it & will try it later this week!
Megan says
Oh yeah! Hope you love it!
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 🙂
Megan says
You definitely can have this as a main. It's quite filling!
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!
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.