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.
I started making this dish 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.
Add some garlic bread, croutons, or a simple spinach salad to complete the dinner.
This filling 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.)
You can use either yellow or green split peas, but my preference is green. It has a more robust flavor than the milder yellow variety.
Use smoked salt or liquid smoke
While many non-vegan recipes include smoked meat, this split pea soup recipe gets its smokiness by way of smoked salt. Or if you’d rather, you can use liquid smoke.
My favorite liquid smoke is the hickory variety from 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.
How to make this soup
Rinse and sort dried green or yellow split peas and pearl barley. Remove any bits of debris that may be in the bags.
- Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in a large pot.
- Add water, a vegetable bouillon cube, dried split peas, pearl barley, coriander, basil, and thyme.
- Bring to a simmer. Then lower heat, stir, and cover with lid. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Finish with smoked salt or liquid smoke, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Eat the soup on its own. Or garnish it with sliced green onions, chives, and/or browned seitan bacon.
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.
You’ll know it 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.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes!
This soup works great with a Crock-Pot or other slow cooker. It’s really convenient, because you can just throw all of the ingredients into it, cover with a lid, set it, and go.
(You won’t need oil in the crock-pot, so you can leave it out.)
Cook on high for about 4 hours or on low for about 6 hours, until the split peas are completely soft. (Times will vary a little depending on your slow cooker.)
If the soup is too thick, add more water to thin it and stir.
Can I freeze it?
Yes!
Split pea soup stores & freezes beautifully. Just put it into a freezer-proof container.
When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw in the refrigerator, or use the microwave defrost function. 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 comforting meal many times over to expecting parents and bereaved friends. It’s a quick & comforting dish that they can easily freeze or keep on hand for times when they just don’t feel like cooking.
Vegan split pea soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon organic canola oil or other neutral cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery 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
Content, photos, and slow cooker instructions updated/added on June 8, 2021. Originally posted October 2013.
Kristy
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
Thanks, Kristy! That’s my favorite kind too! When I’m at a restaurant, something less filling can be nice as a starter. However, when I’m making it at home, I want an easy, one pot meal!
FoodFeud
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.
Herbivore Triathlete
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
Yes, it’s hard to narrow it down. So many good ones out there!
An Unrefined Vegan
I would happily eat soup every day. Split pea is wonderful and I love just about any soup involving any kind of lentil.
Maggie Muggins
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.
Caitlin
Those all sound great! Your cabin looks so pretty too! 🙂
Cadry
Thank you! We really loved living there.
luminousvegansm
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
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 one with the red and white label. Now the canned stuff 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. I would love to live on the water again someday if I have the chance.
Hannah
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
Oh, white bean stew with Upton’s bacon seitan! You are totally speaking my language. That sounds fantastic!
rika@vm
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
Safe travels! Will you be staying in Oregon for long or venturing off to another far-flung locale?
thepeacepatch
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
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
All of these look so amazing! Soup is my favorite fall meal.
Cadry
Thanks, Becky! Soup is so warming and cozy when the temperature starts to drop outside.
Jenna
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
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jenna! And using potato instead of barley sounds like a delicious substitution. Thanks for the great feedback!
Mike D
We made this last night. Ohsogood!!! The recipe makes four perfectly sized entree servings. And my better half said the recipe was quite easy as well.
Cadry
Excellent! That is great to hear, Mike. Thank you for the feedback!