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    Home » Soups

    Vegan split pea soup: Cozy & comforting classic

    Updated: Apr 12, 2025 · Published: Oct 7, 2019 by Cadry Nelson · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 25 Comments

    Jump to recipe Watch video
    Text overlay: Vegan split pea soup. Bowl of soup with seitan bacon and green onions.

    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.) 

    Split pea soup with carrots and chives in bowl.

    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.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Why readers love this recipe
    • Use smoked salt or liquid smoke
    • Step by step instructions
    • Can I make it in a slow cooker?
    • Can I freeze it?
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why readers love this recipe

    5 stars

    “We made this last night. Oh so good!!! The recipe makes four perfectly sized entree servings. And my better half said the recipe was quite easy as well.” – Mike

    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.

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make this vegan split pea soup at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Dried split peas and barley in small bowls.

    Rinse and sort dried green or yellow split peas and pearl barley.

    Remove any bits of debris that may be in the bags.

    Process shot collage of how to make soup.
    1. Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in a large pot.
    2. Add water, a vegetable bouillon cube, dried split peas, pearl barley, coriander, basil, and thyme.
    3. Bring to a simmer. Then lower heat, stir, and cover with lid. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes.
    4. Finish with smoked salt or liquid smoke, and salt and pepper to taste.
    5. 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?

    Bowl of split pea soup by 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.

    Split pea soup in bowl, topped with seitan bacon and green onions.

    If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan split pea soup with carrots and barley in bowl with handle.

    Vegan split pea soup

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 6 votes
    When the weather gets cold, I crave satiating meals-in-a-bowl like homestyle split pea soup. You can’t beat hearty soups that deliver a lot of flavor and make your insides feel cozy and soothed.
    Keep in mind that although it's a long cooking time, most of it is hands off. You can set it and forget it.
    It also can be made in a Crock-pot or other slow cooker. See recipe notes below for directions.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Keyword: fall food, meatless

    Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon avocado 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 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 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.)

    Watch how to make it

    Notes

    This soup is lovely on its own. Or top it with sliced green onions and your favorite browned veggie bacon, seitan pastrami, or vegan ham.
    Any leftover vegan split pea soup will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. Add a splash of water when reheating for a soupier soup.
    Vegan split pea soup freezes well. When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw in the refrigerator. Then add a splash of water and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
    Keep in mind that if you add something dense like potato to this soup, you will need to add extra water, because potato absorbs water as it cooks.
    How to make in a slow cooker
    If you’d like to make this soup in a Crock-pot or other slow cooker, you can omit the oil. Then put all of the other ingredients into the slow cooker. Cover with a lid.
    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.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 914mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5205IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 4.1mg

    Content, photos, and slow cooker instructions updated/added on June 8, 2021. Originally posted October 2013.

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer behind Cadry’s Kitchen, and the author of Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Since launching her blog in 2009, Cadry has been making plant-based cooking approachable, and reimagining classic comfort foods. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Parade, VegNews, and more. She regularly appears on local TV shows, demonstrating to a broad audience how easy vegan cooking can be.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    1. Crissy

      January 15, 2024 at 3:01 pm

      5 stars
      This soup is delicious! I used veggie broth instead of water. I used smoked paprika because I did not have smoked salt or liquid smoke.

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        January 16, 2024 at 2:32 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup, Crissy! Those sound like tasty substitutions. Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    2. Mike D

      February 12, 2020 at 5:46 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 16, 2020 at 5:31 pm

        Excellent! That is great to hear, Mike. Thank you for the feedback!

        Reply
    3. Jenna

      October 11, 2019 at 11:33 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 15, 2019 at 1:24 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jenna! And using potato instead of barley sounds like a delicious substitution. Thanks for the great feedback!

        Reply
    4. Becky Striepe

      October 31, 2016 at 11:51 am

      All of these look so amazing! Soup is my favorite fall meal.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        November 03, 2016 at 10:37 am

        Thanks, Becky! Soup is so warming and cozy when the temperature starts to drop outside.

        Reply
    5. thepeacepatch

      October 31, 2013 at 10:06 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        November 10, 2013 at 10:03 am

        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.

        Reply
    6. rika@vm

      October 31, 2013 at 6:00 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 31, 2013 at 10:01 am

        Safe travels! Will you be staying in Oregon for long or venturing off to another far-flung locale?

        Reply
    7. Hannah

      October 28, 2013 at 10:35 pm

      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 🙂

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2013 at 8:16 pm

        Oh, white bean stew with Upton’s bacon seitan! You are totally speaking my language. That sounds fantastic!

        Reply
    8. luminousvegansm

      October 28, 2013 at 9:15 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2013 at 8:15 pm

        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.

        Reply
    9. Caitlin

      October 28, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      Those all sound great! Your cabin looks so pretty too! 🙂

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2013 at 8:09 pm

        Thank you! We really loved living there.

        Reply
    10. Maggie Muggins

      October 28, 2013 at 12:31 pm

      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.

      Reply
    11. An Unrefined Vegan

      October 28, 2013 at 10:03 am

      I would happily eat soup every day. Split pea is wonderful and I love just about any soup involving any kind of lentil.

      Reply
    12. Herbivore Triathlete

      October 27, 2013 at 6:06 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 28, 2013 at 8:58 am

        Yes, it’s hard to narrow it down. So many good ones out there!

        Reply
    13. FoodFeud

      October 27, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      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.

      Reply
    14. Kristy

      October 27, 2013 at 12:30 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 28, 2013 at 8:46 am

        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!

        Reply

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    That’s why it’s my passion to share mouthwatering plant-based recipes that taste like home.

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