This split pea soup recipe comes from our vegetarian restaurant! Savory and delicious, bursting with Mediterranean flavors, it’s vegan & gluten-free. Video.

This Mediterranean Split Pea Soup recipe is so savory and flavorful! Simple, clean ingredients create a hearty soup that tastes even better the next day. Vegan & gluten-free.

Back when Tonia and I had our vegetarian restaurant together, this split pea soup recipe was in constant demand. Wholesome and nourishing our guests loved it! Honestly, I was always amazed that Tonia could make a split pea soup taste this good without adding a ham bone!

Here’s the secret: it’s packed with savory ingredients like sundried tomatoes, smoked paprika, and lively herbs. The fresh rosemary brings it over the top.

The best part? It only gets more flavorful with time! Filled with nutritious veggies and healthy plant protein, its a wholesome meal that’s perfect for making ahead.

Why You Will Love This Split Pea Soup Recipe

  • Incredibly Flavorful! Rich and savory flavors get even better the next day.
  • Nutritious and Satisfying! High in protein, it will keep you full and satisfied while providing essential nutrients.
  • Easy to Make and Perfect for Meal Prep! It’s ideal for making ahead, as the flavors intensify over time, making it a convenient and delicious option for busy days.
ingredients in split pea soup

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe Ingredients

  • Onion– we used yellow onion for a savory depth.
  • Carrots– add nutritious sweetness and hearty texture.
  • Garlic cloves- for savory depth.
  • Split green peas– use dried split peas, make sure to check the expiration date, old peas may not soften.
  • Vegetable broth– good flavored broth really enhances the soup.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes– adds a sweet rich flavor burst.
  • Herbs– bay leaves, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, dried marjoram, fresh parsley add savory aromatic flavor.
  • Smoked paprika– gives a nice smoky essence.
  • Sea salt & black pepper to taste for balance.

How to Make Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Step One: Rinse split peas and add to a pot with 1 quart of unsalted water bring to a boil and simmer for 30 mins to soften.

Meanwhile, prep the ingredients, chopping the veggies and herbs.

chopped ingredients in spit pea soup

Step Two: In a soup pot, sauté onion in olive oil for 10 minutes over medium heat, the onion will get brown edges and start to caramelize. Add the garlic and the carrots, sauté 5 minutes more.

sauting onion, garlic and carrots.

Step Three: Add the veggie broth, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and dijon. Drain split peas and add them in.

split pea soup with seasonings in a pot.

Step Four: Simmer gently, covered, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cooking until peas are broken down and soft.

Step Five: Add in fresh parsley just before serving and a squeeze of lemon to taste. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper.

This Split Pea Soup recipe comes from our vegetarian restaurant! Savory and delicious, bursting with Mediterranean flavors! Vegan.

Split Pea Soup Recipe Tips

  • Start with cooking the split peas in unsalted water while you prep the rest of the ingredients. This will give them a jump start on softening without overcooking the veggies.
  • Make sure your split peas are not expired, as they may not soften completely.
  • Lightly caramelizing your onions will give so much more flavor depth to your soup.
  • Use this easy recipe for homemade vegetable broth for even more fresh flavor.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe Storage Instructions

A bowl of this soup is hearty enough on it’s own, or serve it with sourdough bread, rolls, or biscuits, and a Caesar Salad!

How to Store Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4 days in a sealed, airtight container. Store in freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop in the microwave.

Split pea soup Faqs

Do I need to soak split peas before cooking?

No, you do not need to soak split peas before cooking. Unlike other legumes, split peas cook relatively quickly and do not require soaking. However, make sure your split peas are fresh as older peas tend to not soften with cooking.

What thickens split pea soup?

Split pea soup is naturally thickened by the breakdown of the peas during the cooking process. As the split peas cook, they dissolve into a creamy consistency that thickens the soup.

What makes split pea soup taste better?

Using fresh, high-quality ingredients like fresh herbs, vegetables, and a good vegetable broth will enhance the flavor of your soup. The soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld and develop over time. Consider making it a day ahead for maximum flavor.

More split pea Soup Recipes

This vegan recipe for Mediterranean Split Pea Soup is healthy and satisfying.  Simple clean ingredients create a hearty soup that tastes even better the next day!  Vegan and gluten-free.

Stay warm, eat mostly healthy and find something beautiful to ponder 💛.

~Tonia

Split Pea Soup Recipe Video

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Best Split Pea Soup Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 40 reviews
  • Author: Tonia | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 90
  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 cups
  • Category: vegan, soup, stew
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This Mediterranean Split Pea Soup recipe is so savory and flavorful! Simple, clean ingredients create a hearty soup that tastes even better the next day. Vegan & gluten-free.

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 1/2 cups dry green split peas, (337 grams) sorted and rinsed
  • 4 cups (1 quart) water
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, 1 1/2 cups, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) vegetable broth (chicken stock is fine if you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut in small pieces (dry, not in oil)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • a squeeze of lemon to serve

Instructions

  1. Rinse off split peas and add to a pot with 1 quart of unsalted water bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
  2. In a separate soup pot, sauté onion in olive oil for 10 minutes over medium heat, the onion will get brown edges and start to caramelize.
  3. Add the garlic and the carrots, stir 5 minutes more.
  4. Add veggie broth, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and dijon.
  5. Drain split peas and add in.
  6. Simmer gently over medium-low heat, 30 minutes, with a lid-vented, stirring occasionally.  Cook until peas are soft and broken down.
  7. Add in fresh parsley just before serving and a squeeze of lemon.

Adjust to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes

We adjusted the original recipe as a few people had issues with split peas fully softening.  The revised version starts with cooking the split peas in unsalted water.

Serve the Split Pea Soup topped with croutons, bread crumbs or crostini if desired.

Soup will keep up to 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen.

Alternatively cook in instant pot- use sauté function for steps 2 and 3.  Set pressure cook setting on high for 15 minutes.  Add more broth to desired consistency.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 ⅓ cups
  • Calories: 149
  • Sugar: 4.6 g
  • Sodium: 357.1 mg
  • Fat: 7.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.1 g
  • Fiber: 3.4 g
  • Protein: 9.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. Gloriously delicious soup! Thought I might have to add some liquid smoke to bump up the flavour, but nope – the smoked paprika and Dijon do the trick on their own. Based on comments I made a batch and a half and I’m SO glad I did. Wonderful – thank you!!

    Reply

      1. Oh! I forgot to mention that I used the water in which the green peas were cooked in addition to veggie stock. Seemed a shame to just throw it out when it had such a nice flavour from cooking the peas.

        Reply

  3. This was amazing! I don’t have split pea soup enough. The only thing I’d try differently is soaking the pesas overnight because even the pre-boiling didn’t soften them enough.

    I also decided to be decadent and added pancetta which just took it on a whole other level. My partner ran into the kitchen several times while I was cooking to comment on the aromas emanating around the apartment.

    Reply

    1. Glad to hear this Katerina! That is the tricky part of split peas, make sure they are not old! So happy you gave it a try!

      Reply

  5. I love this recipe! It is such a great spin on traditional split pea soup. The flavors are out of this world! I’ve made several times already.

    Reply

  6. I love this recipe! It is such a great spin on traditional split pea soup. The flavors are out of this world! I’ve made several times already.

    Reply

  11. My first batch came out well, thanks for offering. I found that if cut into discs as shown, the carrots need to be sliced about 1/8″ thick to be cooked adequately/timely (or perhaps put in shortly after the onion begins saute’). It seems to me that the accompanying video suggests very different ingredient quantities than as listed here, and shows parsley being added to the soup and stirred near the end, not sooner as implied in the instructions. It might be worthwhile to suggest adding cubed ham, or chicken, or Spanish Chorizo.

    Reply

  13. This looks great! For the instant pot, do I still need to soak the split peas? Also I love your recipes (cook at least one weekly) and have recommended your blog to so many people!!!

    Reply

    1. Typically, you don’t have to soak the split peas but they can be finicky if they are older so I usually soak or do a pre-boil without salt just to be sure. Thanks so much for sharing the blog!

      Reply

  14. I’m not usually a fan of split pea soup, but this was delicious. My whole family liked it, too.

    Reply

  15. Thank you, Sylvia. That was very tasty with depth of flavor, which is usually harder without adding meat. I amended a bit due to what was in the kitchen, but it didn’t suffer.

    Reply

  17. Lovely soup💚💚 But the actual recipe portion is titled spilt pea soup😋
    Way too tasty to be spilt and waste any!😉

    Reply

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