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This creamy and hearty Healthy Split Pea Soup is packed full of vegetables and plant-based protein for a delicious meal in one! A healthy vegan soup recipe ready in 40 minutes or less.
I couldn’t possibly write a whole post on Split Pea Soup and not mention where my love of split pea soup evolved from. If you’re from Toronto and have ever frequented United Baker’s Dairy Restaurant than you know how incredible their pea soup is. When I say this is the “soup of all soups”, I am not joking. This soup has superpowers….or SOUPerpowers if you will.
It also is packed full of a lifetime of memories. When I think of UB Pea Soup, my mind if flooded with a series of memories that take me from babyhood to present day. So in honour of a restaurant that holds a special place in my heart, I made my healthy version of split pea soup. It will never top the original (nor should it) but it’s full of love and memories…with slightly less butter 😉
Here’s What You Need:
- coconut oil (you can also use butter)
- yellow onion
- garlic cloves
- carrot
- celery stalks
- sweet potato
- dried green split peas
- vegetable stock – This is a vegetarian split pea soup which is why I use vegetable broth but feel free to use chicken broth or beef broth in place.
- seasonings and spices – sea salt, black pepper, dried dill (or fresh dill!), turmeric, and cumin.
Quick note: if you’re hoping for this split pea soup to taste like United Baker’s I would recommend sautéing your veggies in butter instead of coconut oil. At the end once your soup has been blended and cooled slightly you can stir in 1/2 cup cream for a flavor boost. It is a dairy restaurant after all! Don’t forget to cook up some egg noodles to stir in. Of course, this healthy split pea soup recipe is delicious as is too!
Tell me more about split peas…
Both split peas and lentils are types of legumes. Split peas are a type of pea that are grown specifically for drying. They are split in half after drying which makes them… you guessed it: split peas. The fact that they’re split in half speeds up cooking time and don’t require soaking prior to cooking. They will cook right up with the liquid and other ingredients in this soup so you don’t need any advanced prepping.
Split peas are high in protein and fiber which make them a great nutritional addition to this soup packed with vegetables.
How to Make Split Pea Soup
STEP 1: COOK VEGGIES
Add coconut oil (or butter) to a large pot over medium heat. Once coconut oil has melted add in onion and saute until translucent (about 5 mins). Add in garlic cloves, carrot, celery and sweet potato and cook for another 5 mins.
STEP 2: SIMMER SOUP
Top with split peas, vegetable stock, salt, pepper and herbs/spices and bring to boil. Cover with lid and lower to a simmer for 20 mins. Remove lid and cook for 10 more mins.
STEP 3: BLEND SPLIT PEA SOUP
Turn off stovetop and allow soup to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, blend using an immersion blender or in batches with a standard blender. Feel free to remove a ladle or two of soup before blending to keep some chunkiness, if preferred. Add back in after blending.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Keep your leftovers healthy pea soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Reheat on stovetop or in microwave.
Freezer: Freeze your split pea soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just thaw for several hours on your countertop or overnight in your fridge. Reheat on stovetop or microwave.
What to Serve with Split Pea Soup
This soup is already packed with vegetables and protein thanks to the split peas so it really is a satisfying meal on it’s own. BUT I love pairing soup with a hearty bread or even a grilled cheese or panini type sandwich. There’s something about dunking bread into a creamy soup like this!
For a more traditional United Bakers style soup, cook up some egg noodles and then add to the soup just before serving.
If you want a lighter option, you could absolutely serve this soup with a side salad and even grilled protein for an added protein boost.
More Soup Recipes to Enjoy:
- Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Detox Vegetable Soup
- Heirloom Carrot Ginger Soup
- Acorn Squash Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Healthy Split Pea Soup
This creamy and hearty Healthy Split Pea Soup is packed full of vegetables and plant-based protein for a delicious meal in one! A healthy vegan soup recipe ready in 40 minutes or less.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 bowls 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (butter works too)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups dried green split peas
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried dill (or use 2 tbsp fresh dill)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Add coconut oil to a large pot over medium heat.
- Once coconut oil has melted add in onion and saute until translucent (about 5 mins).
- Add in garlic cloves, carrot, celery and sweet potato and cook for another 5 mins.
- Top with split peas, vegetable stock, salt, pepper and herbs/spices and bring to boil.
- Cover with lid and lower to a simmer for 20 mins.
- Remove lid and cook for 10 more mins.
- Turn off stovetop and allow soup to cool slightly.
- Once cool enough to handle, blend using an immersion blender or in batches with a standard blender. Feel free to remove a ladle or two of soup before blending to keep some chunkiness, if preferred. Add back in after blending.
- Serve warm.
- Will keep for up to one week in the fridge and months in the freezer.
Love it! I like ham and carrots in it 🙂
Never tried it with ham but I’m sure it would be delish!
I don’t think I have ever had split pea soup! Your version sounds super tasty.
First time for everything!
I have never, ever posted a comment on a blog before but I had to comment on UB pea soup….my all time favorite soup and most nostalgic food item for me for sure. I didn’t even realize you were a Torontonian before this! United holds really fond memories for me. It was my Grandmother’s go-to until she was 100 and my kids just love when I take them there and they get a sprinkle cookie of their own. Thanks for making me smile today and I can’t wait to try to duplicate the soup at home!
Thank you for commenting Rachel! I love how special UB is for so many families. It’s such a warm and welcoming place that holds so many dear memories for us and many others. How sweet to hear some of your own story with them. Thanks so much for stopping by!
So I have to ask… is split pea soup a Canadian thing? Because it always reminds me of our annual Canada camping trip, when one of our family friends was making split pea soup for lunch and I A. had never had it and B. had never heard of it… but that could also partly be due to the fact that I grew up as a picky eater with almost equally picky eater parents…
However I am fairly certain I would like me some split pea soup these days 😉
haha I don’t think it’s a Canadian thing?! I’ve had it in the states before I think? I need to take your pea soup cherry 😉
bahahaha I will let you :-p
That’s a sweet story Davida – thanks for sharing 😉 xo Bita
Thanks Bita!
I LOVE split peas! Which is funny, because I kinda hated them when I was a kid: big lover of regular green peas but didn’t care for the taste of the yellow split peas. This changed when I grew up and cooked split peas myself.
About 1,5 years ago I made a recipe of split pea soup with yoghurt that was so delicious that not only have I since made it regularly, but made me decide that if i ever publish a cookbook this recipe must be featured as my gift to humanity 😉
PS: And did C love UB’s meals? 😉
Of course he did 🙂 Funny cause I hated regular green peas but have always loved split peas! I’ve sort of grown out of that pickiness though, thankfully!
This actually looks really good! It will probably taste really amazing!!
It does indeed!
Do you only cook this soup 20 minutes? Doesn’t it take much longer to cook split peas?
It cooks for 30 minutes total but if you’re finding yours need a bit longer, feel free to continue simmering. I’ve never had mine require more than 30 though 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Do you think this recipe would work with yellow/red split peas?
yup! for sure 🙂
Sounds delicious! I love food that reminds of fond memories. I think for me it would be PB&J sandwiches, I was the most picky eater growing up (which is kind of ironic since I now have a food blog lol), so I lived off of PB&J for years. Although I don’t eat them in the same fashion anymore, I still enjoy making lots of PB&J inspired eats!
I was so picky I wouldn’t eat jam! I wanted peanut butter sandwiches exclusively. I feel ya, sista 😉