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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.
You sound so lovely. Today I am making your soup!!! Marie
A favourite soup of our family also! Is there not a little bit of fresh dill in the soup and carrots too? Maybe I’m wrong. And of course it is always served with the thin egg noodles (my girls always asked for extra!) Oops – ‘just re-read the recipe – please ignore!
A favourite soup of our family also! Is there not a little bit of fresh dill in the soup and carrots too? Maybe I’m wrong. And of course it is always served with the thin egg noodles (my girls always asked for extra!)
I just came across your website and this recipe searching for Healthy Split Pea soup. UB!!! I’m a Torontonian living in Oakland. This is so perfect, I’m making the recipe now. United Bakers has so many memories for me. Every time I go home I need to visit for soup and a Greek.
I just made this soup….. It is AMAZING!!!!! So freakin delicious. The only modification I made, was sub butternut squash for the sweet potato (forgot to buy it at the store ? ) Awesome job, Davida!!
Will you believe I’ve never had split pea soup and that it’s not known over here? It looks and sounds so incredibly comforting I think I might have to change that, though.
Some of the most memory-inducing dishes for me include my grandma’s Rotkohl [recipe is on my blog], my mum’s Käsespätzle [ a kind of dumpling-like homemade pasta with fried onions and lots of cheese] and my adaption of Jamie Oliver’s cannelloni casserole.
All sound like amazing dishes! Isn’t it amazing how often we associate positive (and sometimes negative..) memories with food. Shows the power of a meal to bring people together!
I love split pea soup and can’t wait to try your recipe since I’ve haven’t had it with sweet potatoes! My hubby would never try pea soup then I showed him how much protein peas have and now it’s his favorite 🙂
Sometimes it’s the protein that sells the boys 😉
OMGGGGGGG when I saw this on your Snap story I was stoked. Now I’m like REALLY stoked because I have the golden recipe!!! So pinning this and so making this. Is it weird if I admit that split pea soup has been a pregnancy craving of mine? WITH hash browns. Heavenly….
Not weird at all! Trust me – I’m going to have the strangest pregnancy cravings ever…when that comes…in 10 years haha
OMGGGGGGG when I saw this on your Snap story I was stoked. Now I’m like REALLY stoked because I have the golden recipe!!! So pinning this and so making this. Is it weird if I admit that split pea soup has been a pregnancy craving of mine? WITH hash browns. Heavenly….
This soup looks fantastic! Split peas are a great source of protein. They’re really cheap, too!
exactly! awesome source of plant-protein and super cheap too!