Creamy split peas and sweet carrots are simmered in flavorful veggie broth before blending up smooth with savory liquid smoke and punchy dried herbs. Vegan split pea soup is as delicious as it is easy to make!

When I was a young girl I can remember going to Buellton, California and the restaurant 'Anderson's' which was made famous for their Split Pea Soup. It was wonderful. I always thought the sweetness came from the ham but evidently, I was wrong. The sweet onions and carrots do the trick.

Without being too cocky I think this vegan split pea soup recipe rivals theirs. It's completely vegan and I’ve been making it for years! One small change is that I've added a little liquid smoke as a suggestion. I mean it's really just a little bit, as it can become overpowering.

You’ll see that I’ve made my soup nice and thick, but you can make the split pea soup as thin as you like. It's all equally delicious and sometimes I change the thickness up depending on my mood and how far I want the soup to spread.

I like to get my blending done in one step with an immersion blender, but an upright blender works well too. If you go that route, the soup might need to be blended in two batches.

Table of Contents

Ingredients Needed for Vegan Split Pea Soup

Extra virgin olive oil - A fruity, rich base in which to saute your onion.
Diced yellow onion - I like the pungent taste of yellow onion in this flavorful soup as all of those sweet split peas do need a bit of sharpness to balance them out.
Sliced carrots - Provides flavor as well as a creamy texture to the soup once it is blended. I recommend using classic orange carrots here as opposed to rainbow carrots, as the latter may affect the final color of the soup. You'll need a couple cups of sliced carrots which for me was about 2 medium carrots.
Dried green split peas - I always use green split peas as it is the classic choice for pea soup, but you could certainly use yellow split peas if you already have them and don’t mind a difference of color! Before cooking, rinse split peas under cold water to remove any debris or dust. Unlike many other dried legumes, split peas do not require soaking before cooking.
Vegetable broth - Make sure to choose a low-sodium veggie broth or stock. Store bought broth is just fine, or use homemade if you want an extra flavorful broth.
Bay leaf - Lends an earthy, herbal taste to the background of the soup. The flavor of bay leaf is tough to pinpoint, but rest assured it is working hard in the background, adding complexity to the overall flavor profile!
Black pepper - One of my favorite spices! Ground black pepper is fruity and spicy--just what this soup needs.
Dry white wine - I find that a bit of wine in this soup adds a ton of flavor, but if you prefer not to use wine you can simply substitute an equal amount of additional veggie broth or plain water. If you use the white wine, make sure to choose a vegan brand.
Liquid smoke - A few drops of this condensed, concentrated wood smoke is perfect for re-creating the smoky flavor that traditional split pea soup gets from smoked ham. Measure carefully when working with this stuff, as even just a little too much can easily overpower the flavor of your soup. If you do not have liquid smoke, try using smoked paprika instead.
Dried marjoram - Adds a uniquely woodsy yet citrusy flavor that enhances the natural sweetness of the split peas.
Dried parsley - A nearly universally complementary herb! In the case of this soup, parsley brings fresh and lightly peppery flavors to the table.

How to Make Vegan Split Pea Soup

Saute onion. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and saute for about 10 minutes, until slightly translucent.
Combine and boil. Add sliced carrots, green split peas, veggie broth, bay leaf, black pepper, and white wine (if you’re using it). Cover and bring the soup to a boil.
Add seasonings. Add liquid smoke, dried marjoram, and dried parsley. Reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer and cook for about 1½ hours, stirring every once in a while to keep from sticking.
Blend. Once the split peas are done cooking, remove the bay leaf and let the mixture cool for a bit before transferring it into a blender or just leave it in the pot if you’re using an immersion blender. Blend until the soup is smooth--or almost smooth, depending on your taste. If the soup seems too thick, you can add more vegetable broth until it reaches a consistency you like.

Serve! Re-warm the soup on the stovetop over medium heat if it has cooled off too much during blending, then ladle it into bowls and serve piping hot!

Watch Me Make Split Pea Soup

Chef Tips

When Using an Immersion Blender:

If you have used a nonstick pot to cook your soup ingredients, be careful not to drag the head of the blender across the bottom of the pot during blending as this will likely damage the nonstick surface. Instead, keep it just slightly above the bottom of the pot--or simply transfer your soup into a different container before blending.
Make sure to keep the head and blades of the blender completely submerged under the liquid when the motor is running. If you lift it up and out of the soup while blending, it will splatter hot soup everywhere!
Once you're finished blending, rinse the head, blades, and stalk of the blender under hot water right away, then give it a gentle scrub with dish soap whenever you tackle the dishes later. This keeps the soup from getting dried and stuck on the blender parts, which I can tell you from personal experience is very difficult to clean when that happens!

How to Store

Refrigerating. Cool down the soup to room temperature before any storage. Ladle the soup into airtight storage containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezing. Vegan split pea soup also freezes really well! Allow the soup to cool completely, then pour it into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space at the top as liquids always expand during freezing. Seal the containers tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Sometimes I pack my leftover soups in strong zip-top freezer bags, that way I can freeze them flat and they take up a bit less space.

Thawing. Due to its thickness, this soup takes a bit longer to defrost as compared to thinner, broth based soups. You’ll want to transfer your frozen soup to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it, that way it can defrost slowly and safely.

Reheating. Place your vegan split pea soup in a saucepan over medium heat and warm it gently, stirring often, until simmering and heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. If microwaving, make sure to cover the bowl with a paper towel or a microwave cover--it will likely splatter as it warms up!

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