Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is every bit as delicious, wholesome, and nostalgic as the soup your mom made. This is a pantry staple recipe with a few fresh root vegetables. Not looking for vegetarian soup? Add bacon or ham to your soup or serve them both on the side!
VEGETARIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP
Oh, pea soup! How I adore thee!? The fact that you’re a Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is even better because I can finally put to rest the notion that Split Pea Soup isn’t good soup at all without bacon or ham.
To all of you bacon and ham lovers, I just have one thing to say: whatever! This vegetarian version of your beloved split pea soup will have you thinking otherwise; trust me! I am proof of that!
Before you start sending me hate mail, rest assured that I would never turn down ham or bacon – never! But, when making a pot of soup in our home, nary a meat product must come in contact with it for fear that the two vegetarians I live with might hatch a vicious plan to convert me to vegetarianism. Or worse, refuse to wash the dishes! (Yep, I cook; they clean!)
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YOU CAN ADD DOUGH BOYS TOO! (Non-Newfoundlanders call them dumplings.)
Whenever I think of Split Pea Soup, my mom’s soup comes to mind. She, mind you, used to make it with ham and there would always be dumplings floating in the pot. I was never a fan of dumplings in any shape or form, but her soup was mightily delicious.
I’ve not included dumplings in this recipe. If you want to add dumplings, you certainly can. In Newfoundland, we call the Dough Boys rather than dumplings. You can find the recipe at Rock Recipes. Barry is a terrific resource for Newfoundland recipes and you can totally trust his dough boy/dumpling recipe.
In the recipe card for Barry’s recipe, he will instruct you to add the dumpling to the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Follow my recipe completely, and then prepare the mixture for the dumplings once your potatoes are cooked through.
WHY VEGETARIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP IS NECESSARY
A few years ago, before I began to adapt to cooking vegetarian dishes at home, John.e would get his Split Pea Soup fix from a jar at the grocery store. I would watch him crack open the lid and spoon the stuff into a saucepan in gelatinous lumps.
Why does cold Split Pea Soup do that? Anyway, I made it my mission to prevent him from spending $8 on a jar of soup when, clearly, I could make a huge pot of it for about the same price.
You see, Dear Reader, this recipe has very cheap ingredients, but the flavour is rich beyond price. Does that sound corny? Well, I can’t find the words to describe how delicious this soup really tastes. I guess you’ll have to just take my word for it and try it for yourself.
Look at those pictures though! Can you believe that’s the result of a few carrots, some celery, potatoes, onions, and dried yellow split peas? I almost can’t believe it either. But, as you can see from the ingredient list below, the pictures don’t lie. Now, get cooking!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Olive Oil – This is used to get the aromatics started.
- Vegetables – Often referred to as the Holy Trinity in cooking, for this recipe, you will need onion, celery, and carrots. They add depth and flavour to the soup.
- Spit Peas – Dried yellow split peas are the star of this soup. Be sure to wash them and rinse them well first! But, there’s no need to pre-soak them.
- Potatoes – These help to thicken up the soup with their starchiness, but also helps to make the soup more hearty and bulky.
- Garlic – This was never traditionally found in my mom’s pea soup, but I love the addition of it to my version.
- Vegetable Stock – Do you call it stock or broth? Either way, it’s the liquid base you’ll need.
- Bay Leaves – I think 99% of all soup recipes have bay leaves. The purpose of bay leaves in soups and stews is to elevate the other ingredients by enhancing and bolding more subtle flavours.
- Turmeric – It doesn’t add a lot of flavour, but it certainly helps to intensify that bold, yellow colour.
- Salt & Pepper – Because these two will make everything taste better!
HOW TO MAKE THIS SOUP:
In a stock pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes. Next, add the split peas and turmeric, stir into the vegetable mixture, and sauté for 3 minutes. Finally, add the vegetable stock and water, along with the salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the split peas from settling into the bottom of the pot.
Once the aromatics have cooked for 40 minutes, add the potatoes and stir to combine. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Stir the soup and check the liquid level. At this point, the potatoes should be starting to soften, and the peas should be nearly dissolved. Add one cup of water if the peas are not nearly dissolved.
Cover and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness again. Add another cup of water if needed. If not, cover and continue to cook until the potatoes are fork-tender. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the lid and turn off the heat. Stir the soup well, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- A heavy-bottomed pot is great for soups and stews. Not only does it hold and distribute the heat more consistently, but it will also help prevent food from burning because of the thick layer between the burner and the actual food. My go-to heavy-bottomed Dutch Ovens are either Le Creuset or Staub.
- If you would like a completely smooth and creamy soup, you can puree the soup once it is completely cooked. Use a hand-held immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender. Do this in batches so that the soup does not spill out of the blender!
- Remember, if you want you can add ham or bacon. I like to fry bacon and add serve it as a topping so that one can add it or leave it out. I would do the same with ham.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Even though Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is a complete meal all on its own, you might want to consider serving this soup with a few other items. If you have a larger family, you can serve smaller bowls of soup and make it stretch longer by serving it with some crusty bread. No matter how thick and hearty the soup is, you cannot go wrong with a slice or two of really good crusty bread. My favourite is just about any bread from Ace Bakery!
If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can make a batch of those beautiful – and delicious! – dinner rolls you see in the photos. I made those from scratch and it’s really, really simple. I call them Jumbo No Knead Dinner Rolls. They are quite big; look at how big they are next to that soup bowl! Time it so that the rolls are fresh out of the oven and still warm when you serve the soup. Yum!
Do You Like This Recipe?
You should consider trying these other delicious recipes too!
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 2 cups carrots, chopped
- 2 cups dried yellow split peas, washed and rinsed
- 3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 4 cups water
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a stock pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.
- Add the split peas and turmeric, stir into the vegetable mixture, and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add the vegetable stock and water, along with the salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the split peas from settling to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the potatoes and stir to combine. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir the soup and check the liquid level. At this point, the potatoes should be starting to soften, and the peas should be nearly dissolved. Add one cup of water if the peas are not nearly dissolved.
- Cover and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness again. Add another cup of water if needed. If not, cover and continue to cook until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the lid and turn off the heat. Stir the soup well, and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kim Lee says
I’m sure it’s difficult to make split pea soup look beautiful, but you definitely done it here! This looks incredibly tasty and comforting!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Kim! Such a lovely compliment! 🙂
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
Good hearty soups are so perfect for our cold Chicago winters. I’d love a bowl of this for lunch today!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Same here, Kathryn. I’m thinking this soup should be on our dinner table again tonight.
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says
I haven’t had a good split pea soup in a long time. I don’t think I have ever tried it without ham. The color of yours is terrific!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Do yourself a favour and try it without adding in any pork product at all. It’s quite delicious!
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
I LOVE split pea soup, and also refuse to buy it at the store canned or jarred. It’s not as good, and split peas are so ridiculously cheap. I have a huge bag in my cabinet right now! And I never put ham or bacon in it- I’m totally with you on this one! (Especially since I don’t eat ham or bacon! haha)
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yay, Sarah! Finally, someone sees it my way! 🙂
john.e says
…and this was soooo much better than that soup in a jar (though it was nice to collect the mason jars).
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Ha! Thanks, John.e You know, I’ve since moved those mason jars to recycling, right? 😉
Vanessa Price says
Yes! I love a vegetarian soup, and vegetarian split pea soup is a great idea! It looks really creamy and I bet it would be a great dinner with some nice, crusty bread.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
You’re right, Vanessa. After all, what’s soup without bread? 😉
linda spiker says
What an beautiful soup!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
I’ve never made split pea soup before but definitely loving the look of this. Especially since I don’t eat ham or bacon or meat at all. Haha! I don’t know why I’ve never thought to make it but you have me wanting to try this soon! Pinning 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Stephanie. Please try it – it’s so delicious.
Megan Marlowe says
I’m not sure I’d bring meat into the house knowing I’d have to cook and clean. I rarely purchase soups in a can, they are FILLED with so much sodium my blood pressure rises just thinking of it. With or without the meat, this soup looks hearty and I can’t wait to give it a try…maybe with a little bacon on top 😉
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’ll allow the bacon as a topping. 🙂 You have my blessing. LOL
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I say “whatever”, too! This soup looks amazing! I my opinion, split pea soup is supposed to be vegetarian. 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Haha – thank you, Amy. I think soup should be meat-free too. With the right seasonings, soup doesn’t need meat to make it taste good.
Manila Spoon (Abigail) says
Even if I am not vegetarian, I won’t have trouble eating a bowlful (or two!!) of this thick and creamy-licious Split pea soup! Besides, you added turmeric which is a super food for me so this is certainly a winner in my book!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Glad to hear it! Thank you. 🙂
Oana@AdoreFoods says
Such a perfect, comforting soup! Although I love peas and try to include them in a lot of dishes I am making, never thought of making split pea soup 🙂 Cannot wait to give it a try!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Oh, I grew up on split pea soup and even split pea pudding – that reminds me, I should make that soon!
Anne Murphy says
I make pea soup both with and without meat – and without more often, really, just because I’m not going to wait until we eat a ham before making pea soup! And I use the yellow peas, too… pretty much the one foodway my grandmother picked up from the Norwegian side of her family.
Turmeric is a new one for me, though. It certainly brightens the color – now I”m curious to see what it will do for the flavor!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I find turmeric to have a very warm flavour profile. And, yes, it does certainly pop the colour!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Dried beans and lentils are so affordable to buy and I hate the canned soups. The soups looks so creamy and comforting that I want to ease into my couch with a bowl. I have never added potatoes in my soup. I should try to add them to make it extra creamy and filling.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Potatoes in soup is the best! 🙂
Sarah | Away From the Box says
If I were to try a vegetarian split pea soup, this would definitely be the one. It looks so creamy and delicious, and I agree – homemade is usually cheaper and better!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Sarah. 🙂 Go ahead – try the vegetarian version! 🙂
Just Jo says
Oh I love the look of this soup Byron, with or without meat! I have all the ingredients in at the mo so once I’ve finished my latest soup (spinach and parsnip) I will definitely give this a try 😀
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you! Don’t you just love it when you already have all of the ingredients? 🙂
linda spiker says
What a beautiful, rich and hearty soup! And it looks fairly easy to make too. Win/win!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
Challenge: Accepted.
I’m going to try your version and see if I love it as much as the one that includes bacon. I’m certain that it’s a contender, based on the pics and the recipe! As always – you’re challenging my thinking.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you! I consider that a huge compliment coming from you. 🙂 I’m thinking about making your banana cheesecake this weekend. Looks scrumptious!
Ashley - Forking Up says
Is there anything better than a thick split pea soup on a cold day? I looove it!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I can’t think of one thing better. 🙂
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
Ha, I love the fear that you’ll have to wash your own dishes if you cook with bacon! I will admit that split pea soup is one of the rare things I’ve always assumed I won’t like, but haven’t actually tried in YEARS. I think some of my anti-split pea soup stance is because I was a vegetarian for 15 years and I always saw it made with ham. Time to give it a try!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I loathe washing dishes – I really do! You gotta try this soup – John.e has been a vegetarian for about 25 years now and he swears it’s the best soup he’s ever had!
LINDA ZERBE says
SUPER YUMMY! I did add some “facon” (fake bacon ) to the onion/carrot/celery mixture in the beginning and iI used 4 cups of vegan “chicken” broth. Came out delicious. Thank you
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Linda. I’m in the process of nearly perfecting a make-at-home fake bacon recipe, so I can’t wait to get it exactly right and try it in my recipes and this soup too, of course!
Cher says
I made this on Thanksgiving. It was excellent. I used 4c water and 4c of homemade vegetable broth as I am highly sensitive to msg or yeast extracts hidden in most packaged broths. It was insanely delicious. Everyone at our dinner commented on how good it was, even the meat eaters who before trying it were wary of fact it was bacon free! It’s definitely a keeper recipe.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Cher. It’s a favourite soup in our house. 🙂
Amy says
I have this simmering on the stove right now! We’re suppose to get a snow storm tomorrow so it will be perfect for a winter night! I used green split peas instead of yellow and sweet potatoes instead of white. Can’t wait to taste it!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Amy. I’m so jealous of your snow storm! I’m one of those weird people that love winter. 🙂
Grace says
Love split pea soup and this version sounds amazing, however, I don’t have potatoes and was wondering about a substitute, I have a head of cauliflower? Would that work?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I don’t think cauliflower would work well at all. It’s not starchy enough to thicken the soup and the cooking time would need to be adjusted greatly.
Ben says
Hello from Scotland! I’ve made you soul a few times now and can say it’s a excellent and tasty recipe! Thank you
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Ben. Scotland is on my list of places to visit. Maybe this Christmas!
Stephanie says
Looks amazing…I love pea soup and can’t wait to try this (though I may split it in half and put ham in half after it’s done to please both the meat and non-meat eaters in the house)!! Quick question though…you do not mention pre-soaking the peas at all yet the printable page says it takes two days to make which suggests soaking. Can you clarify please? Thanks
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Stephanie, thank you for bringing that to my attention. Just recently, I updated the recipe cards and some of the information was skewed in the transition. I’ve updated the recipe card accordingly. There is no need to soak the split peas overnight. Just add them to the post as is. 🙂
Ellen says
I just made this soup and it is wonderful and delicious! Very easy to make!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Ellen. It’s one of our favourites!
Rose says
I need to make a large amount for homeless feeding. how would this taste with hamburger meat mixed in
Sarah says
This was so delicious! I made it the first time and my roommates LOVED IT. I’ve been making it every so often as per their request. Thanks for posting! 🙂
London lady says
I subbed the regular potatoes with sweet potatoes. It was DELICIOUS! Will make this again. Great Comfort food during Covid-19.
Gloria EL says
After scouring the internet, your recipe looked appealing. I am getting ready to make it now. I do have one question, though, could heavy cream be added to give it a depth of flavor?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, a splash of heavy cream would be nice.
Christy says
Great recipe!!! I added just a cap full of cream sherry Omg. Thank you for another great recipe.
Arpita Patel says
My husband loved it. I tried red chilli sauce also. It turned awsome in first try. Really thanks for your recipe
sylvia says
Thank you for this fabulous vegan soup! Took me back to my childhood in Cape Breton. Made the dough boys too. Yum.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Sylvia. You’re most welcome. 🙂
Rbud says
I enjoyed making this soup for my husband and I. I added extra bay leaves. I was out of turmeric but still very pleased with how it turned out.
michel says
I was skeptical because of the few ingredients. I was wrong. YUM! Merci beaucoup.
karon zoll says
Very good, I make a vegetarian split pea soup also using allspice, cumin and cloves .I use all the basics you use minus the turmeric and broth, I put a few teaspoons of vegetable powder in it!
lauren says
A quality provalone cheese, sliced and put on a ceramic skillet to brown and crisp, is a great vegetarian substitute for bacon. Makes an amazing facon, lettuce and tomato sandwich!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Great tip, Lauren!
Steve says
Gotta love this vegetarian yellow pea soup recipe, especially when advertised with the tastiest morsel of BACON garnishing the top:)
With that said, we made this tonight and will be enjoying it for the rest of the weekend! cheers!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Haha! Steve, there are pictures without bacon too. 🙂
David Johnson says
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was a wonderful comfort food especially in the cold of winter. I had it with dumplings for one meal and soldiers for a few others. I topped it with sarachi sauce to give it a little kick.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Sounds great, David!
Margot says
This is the best vegetarian split pea soup I’ve ever made and I’ve been making it for many years ! Today is the first day of fall and it is the perfect soup to have on our first really cool and rainy day. Even though I can’t find yellow split peas as easily as one can in Canada, it was still wonderful with green split peas. And I had no turmeric. This will now replace my own favorite split pea soup recipe Thank you !
Cathy says
Very good split pea soup recipe.
I had to cook it longer than stated to get the peas truly softened but I was erring on the side of caution because I was fearful of having it stick on the bottom.
I had never used potato in pea soup before. Barley had been my go to starch. Also liked the healthful addition of turmeric.
All and all a great hearty soup.
I grew up in northern Vermont and adjacent to French speaking Canada. Pea soup there was traditionally served with Johnny cake or corn muffins.
Can’t beat that combo.
Amber says
Love this recipe. I add smoked paprika to give it more flavour and it’s so delicious.
linda says
delicious!! I added some fake bacon for flavor and blended about half of the soup to make it more smooth and creamy with chunks of potato.
Marlene Wilkins says
Just found another of your tasty recipes. I’ll be ready for those cool September nights. Thankyou.
Carol says
This is the second time making this absolutely delicious soup. I’m not a fan of green pea soup but this yellow version is amazing. Definitely a new favorite in our household. Thanks
Joyce says
I really LIKE-LIKE split pea soup, green or yellow, so am looking forward to making this recipe. I’m not vegetarian by any means, but I do enjoy pea soups and lentil soups without meat in them, and this does look absolutely delicious! On my menu for this Friday!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hope you enjoy it, Joyce. We love this recipe!
Gayle Moores says
Made this delicious vegetarian split pea soup for dinner. I added some sweet potato along with a little acorn squash to the recipe and loved the flavours.I also blended some of the soup with an immersion blender to give it a creamy texture. A great vegetarian recipe and will definitely make it again.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Glad you liked it, Gayle!