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Vegan split pea soup is a hearty, satiating meal in a single pot. It’s filled with carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and barley. (For a gluten-free option, make it with rice instead.)
When the weather gets cooler, I crave hearty meals-in-a-bowl like homestyle vegan split pea soup. It’s a full-bodied soup that delivers a lot of flavor and makes your insides feel cozy and soothed.
Add some toasted baguette, crackers, or grilled garlic sourdough to complete the dinner.
Vegan split pea soup
I started making this soup way back in 2010 when I wanted a split pea option that was like my favorite canned split pea of yore but without having any pigs harmed in the process.
Making split pea soup from scratch takes more time and forethought than cracking open a can. But you can’t beat the balanced warmth of homemade.
This vegan split pea soup is thick and dense with carrots, celery, garlic, barley, and broken down split peas. (For a gluten-free option, replace the barley with rice.)
This comforting soup gets its smokiness by way of smoked salt. But if you’d rather use liquid smoke, that works as well.
My favorite liquid smoke is Wright’s. You can find it near the other ingredients for the grill like barbecue sauce. I go for equal portions of either one in the recipe below for a hint of smokiness without overpowering.
If you really love smoky flavors, use both liquid smoke & smoked salt.
When you need a cozy, stick-to-your ribs meal, don’t look any further than this vegan split pea soup.
How to make vegan split pea soup
Start by sautéing onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in a large soup pot.
Once the onion is translucent and fragrant, add water, a vegetable bouillon cube, dried split peas, pearl barley, coriander, basil, and thyme to the pot.
Bring to a simmer. Once it is simmering, reduce the heat to low, stir, and cover with lid.
Keep the soup covered and cooking for 45 to 60 minutes.
Depending on the age of your split peas, the seal of your pot, and the heat of the low setting on the stove, the soup may be done anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes or more. For me, it usually takes about 45 minutes.
The soup is done when the split peas are soft, mushy, and falling apart.
If it looks like you’ll run out of liquid before the split peas are totally softened, add more water as necessary and adjust spices accordingly.
When finished, add smoked salt or liquid smoke, and salt and pepper to taste.
You can eat the soup on its own. Or top it with sliced green onions & browned seitan bacon, vegan pastrami, or vegan ham. (I used browned pieces of Herbivorous Butcher pastrami here.)
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes! Split pea soup stores & freezes beautifully. Just put the soup into a freezer-proof container. Then when you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Keep in mind that split soup will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. So you may want to add a splash of water when reheating for a soupier soup.
I have given containers of this soup many times over to expecting parents and bereaved friends. It’s a quick & comforting meal that they can easily freeze or keep on hand for times when they just don’t feel like cooking.
Home-style vegan split pea soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon organic canola oil or other neutral cooking oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 small yellow onion chopped (Or half of a large onion)
- 4 ½ cups water
- 1 vegan vegetable bouillon cube
- 1 ½ cups split peas green or yellow, rinsed and sorted
- ¼ cup pearl barley rinsed and sorted (Brown rice also works, but the soup will be a bit more watery since it doesn’t absorb as much water)
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon smoked salt or liquid smoke
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, add organic canola oil and bring to a medium heat. Sauté garlic, carrots, celery and onion for about five minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the water, bouillon cube, split peas, barley, coriander, basil, and thyme to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Once it is simmering, reduce the heat to low, stir, and cover with lid.
- Keep the soup covered and cooking for 45 to 60 minutes. Depending on the age of your split peas, the seal of your pot, and the heat of the low setting on the stove, the soup may be done anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes or more. (For me, it usually takes about 45 minutes.) The soup is done when the split peas are soft, mushy, and falling apart. If it looks like you'll run out of liquid before the split peas are totally softened, add more water as necessary and adjust spices accordingly.
- When finished, add smoked salt or liquid smoke, and salt and pepper to taste. (If you really love smoky flavors, add BOTH smoked salt & liquid smoke.)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Here are more vegan soups I think you’d enjoy:
- Creamy vegan mushroom soup with lentils
- Curry lentil soup
- Udon noodle soup with miso tahini broth
- Creamy vegan tomato soup
Originally posted October 2013. Content and photos updated October 2019.
Kristy says
Oh man, I love a good “stick-to-your-ribs” soup, especially split-pea! This one looks wonderful- totally apropos for this chilly fall weather. 🙂 Heading over to watch your cabin video now!
Cadry says
Thanks, Kristy! Dense and filling soups are definitely my favorite kind! When I’m at a restaurant, a less filling soup can be nice as a starter. However, when I’m making a soup at home, I want an easy, one pot meal!
FoodFeud says
Yum, I love split pea soup! I think most of the vegan versions I’ve had have used liquid smoke for flavor, but smoked salt is brilliant too. I’ve had trouble finding liquid smoke in stores but I’ll check around for smoked salt.
Soup season is the best season, imo. You mentioned Isa: her new cookbook has a ton of amazing looking soups. I think I’m especially looking forward to a yellow split pea and rutabaga soup she has in there!
Cadry says
Yes, Isa’s book looks incredible! I just got my copy on Friday and made my first meal from it last night. We had the home-style curry with tofu & broccoli. (Although, I was surprised to discover that my broccoli had gone bad, and so we had tofu and peas.) It was super tasty! I am so excited to make more from it. And you’re right, all of the soups look fantastic!
Randi (laughfrodisiac) says
Yesss! Soup season is my favorite season! 🙂 That chickpea & rice is one of my faves too. I’m looking forward to trying your split pea recipe!
Cadry says
Thanks, Randi! I hope you like it!
flickingthevs says
Snap! I’ve been making some split pea and kale soup, and it didn’t work out half so well as that rather beautiful one up there! Red lentil, butternut squash and coconut milk is another one on my rotation right now, and that’s been a bit more successful.
Cadry says
Oh, a red lentil, butternut, coconut milk squash sounds lovely! I bet it is super creamy.
Herbivore Triathlete says
Ah soup, how I love you. I haven’t had split pea soup in ages but was just thinking about it this weekend! I’ve got lots of favorite soups, I can’t pick just one!
Cadry says
Yes, it’s hard to narrow it down. So many good soups out there!
Mae says
All of the soups that you just wrote about sound amazing! I wish I could sample all of them right now. Lately I’ve been making spicy pumpkin soup, topped with chives and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Cadry says
Your pumpkin soup sounds delicious! What kinds of spices do you use in it?
Mae says
It’s pretty simple actually – About 2 1/2 cups broth, two cups pumpkin puree, 1/2 an onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tsp cajun seasoning, and anything to cream it up like coconut milk, or cashew cream blended with more water to make it thinner. I cook it for about 45 mins, and it’s so creamy and delicious!
Cadry says
Oh, that sounds really good! I just bought a jar of cajun seasoning recently that would be perfect for this. Thanks for sharing!
Denise says
Hi. Someone just told me about your blog and also “Cooking With Mr. C.” on Facebook.(also a blog) I just “Liked” his Facebook page and came to your site. It’s great. I’m so glad when people share their favorite blogs with each other. Denise
Cadry says
Welcome, Denise! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Abby says
Everyone is posting about soups and they look great, but I’ll be honest. I don’t love it. I don’t know what it is about it in general, but it never feels like a complete meal if I can’t eat something with my hands. Before going vegan I did love my mom’s chicken noodle soup because she used thick Reames’ egg noodles and tons of carrots, but since then…not so much.
But when I am in a soupy mood, I like Amy’s Organic lentil vegetable. It’s the perfect size for one person-me!-and I can add something on the side to eat with my hands. Yes, it’s from a (BPA-free) can, but I don’t like soup enough to make a big batch to eat for days. 😉
Cadry says
Aw, you can tell we both have Midwestern backgrounds. My mom also used to make chicken and noodles with Reames’ egg noodles. Although, it wasn’t so much a soup, more like a creamy pasta dish. It used to be one of my favorite dishes of hers, and it’s something I’ve been wanting to veganize for the longest time! Some people use the Vegg to make vegan egg noodles. The only thing stopping me is the time commitment of noodle-making!
I totally hear you about soup not being a complete meal. I don’t feel that way, but David always wants something more than just soup for dinner. That’s why we’ll grill bread, make a side of baked fries, have dolmas, sautéed spinach, or something else. He likes to have several different flavors for dinner; whereas, I’m happy with just soup.
I used to get that lentil vegetable soup a lot, but I got the generic one from Trader Joe’s. (I’m pretty sure it’s the same soup, though.)
jessicacorra says
YUM! I want to make those! My favorite is potato leek, but I love almost all soups and chilis, one of my favorite forms of food. 😀
Cadry says
Yes, you’ve got to love a hearty potato soup! It’s so good in chilly weather.
An Unrefined Vegan says
I would happily eat soup every day. Split pea is wonderful and I love just about any soup involving any kind of lentil.
Cadry says
Lentil soups are so tasty! I’m often amazed at how many years I went without eating lentils. They’re one of my favorite foods now. I have a double lentil soup that I like to make often. Plus, you can’t beat the price of lentils, especially for the nutritional punch!
Kylie - FotV says
I adore split pea soup but my husband hates it, so I never make it at home 🙁 Maybe I should anyway just for myself 🙂
Cadry says
Split pea soup freezes well! You could make it and store it in batches, freeze it, and enjoy it on nights when he’s busy with other things. 🙂
Andrea says
I love to have a big pot of creamy white bean and kale (or spinach) soup bubbling on the stove. Not only is it comforting the night it’s made, but it provides warm lunches for several days after. Your soups look so good — really nice photos, Cadry!
Cadry says
Don’t you just love easy lunches that are already prepped for you? White bean and kale soup sounds so good! Thanks for the kind words about the photos. You know how daunting it can be to photograph soup, especially ones that are murky green! 🙂
Maggie Muggins says
I’m all over the stick-to-your-ribs soups these days! Split pea is most definitely my favorite. I’m in serious need of picking up some sourdough and making some of that chickpea and rice soup. Sounds like perfection right now.
Cadry says
It’s a bummer that summer is over, but the chickpea and rice soup does a pretty good job of easing the blow. It’s a tasty one!
Caitlin says
Those all sound great! Your cabin looks so pretty too! 🙂
Cadry says
Thank you! We really loved living there for five months. We were renting it, and FEMA bought it from the owners. It was in a flood zone, and they tore it to the ground. 🙁 It was such a special place, but I’m really glad that we got to experience living that close to nature while it lasted.
luminousvegansm says
Oh yeah! I’m totally all about the soups now too. All of these look so wonderful, but my favorite is the split pea soup. I seriously have some leftover split pea soup in the fridge right now too. I used to think soups were like this crazy thing that I could never make. So I always bought the canned stuff. But they are crazy-easy to make and it’s definitely great for using up leftovers. I love the video! Living in a cabin by the river sounds like a dream come true to me.
Cadry says
I used to feel the same way about soup! As a kid, I would have been really disappointed to eat homemade soup over my preferred soup with the red and white label. Now canned soup doesn’t hold a candle to homemade. It’s just so much better.
I’m so glad you liked the video! When we moved into the cabin, we knew we would love the experience, but it was just so much better than I’d even imagined. Bald eagles built nests across the river from us, and we were able to watch them soar over the river. Sadly, we had to move out when FEMA bought the property from the owners, because it was in a flood zone. It was then torn to the ground. It’s just a memory and a cooking video! 🙂 I would love to live on the water again someday if I have the chance.
Hannah says
Oh hell yeah! This post is delicious. My husband and I eat like 2-3 different soups a week, and Split Pea just happens to be our favorite. Now you got me cravin. Tomorrow I’m making a White Bean Stew with Upton’s Bacon even though it’ll probably be 80 degrees outside 🙂
Cadry says
Oh, white bean stew with Upton’s bacon seitan! You are totally speaking my language. That sounds fantastic!
rika@vm says
Yum! Perfect comfort food for the cold wintery days we’re about to get when we head back to Oregon next week! MMMM on that bread!
Cadry says
Safe travels! Will you be staying in Oregon for long or venturing off to another far-flung locale?
Shannon says
Ooh it’s been quite a long time since I made split pea soup, but I made a large batch of broccoli cheddar earlier this week. There’s a few more on my list now that it’s getting cool out.
Cadry says
We’re definitely in the full throes of soup weather! Plus, you’ve got to love a one pot meal. Less dishes!
thepeacepatch says
I’ve always loved superthick soups, especially split pea and lentil…like you could scoop them up with bread like chunky dip. As a kid I never like watery soups like chicken noodle or chicken with rice…I’d always get rid of the broth and scoop up the rest onto saltine crackers. 🙂
Your videos are so fun…slaving away over dinner, yeah that’s me! 😉
Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain!
Cadry says
Thanks for the Halloween & Samhain wishes! I’m a much bigger fan of thick, scoopable soups too. Every once in a while as a starter at a restaurant a thin soup is okay, but at home, I’m much more inclined to make a meal-like soup.
Becky Striepe says
All of these look so amazing! Soup is my favorite fall meal.
Cadry says
Thanks, Becky! Soup is so warming and cozy when the temperature starts to drop outside.
Jenna says
This recipe is excellent! I made it as written except for one small change: I used a medium russet potato instead of the barley. This is going to be my new go-to pea soup!! So, so good! 🙂 Thanks Cadry!
Cadry says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jenna! And using potato instead of barley sounds like a delicious substitution. Thanks for the great feedback!