Easy & Delicious Homemade Split Pea Soup Recipe

Last Updated on January 10, 2024

Homemade split pea soup is an easy, delicious, money-saving, planet-friendly meal. Give this simple split pea soup recipe a try!

I’m a HUGE fan of nourishing soups on cold winter nights. One of my absolute favorites is homemade split pea soup. If you’re still buying canned split pea soup, I beg you to stop!

You’re wasting money, it doesn’t taste nearly as good, plus you’re getting who-knows-what kind of plastic compounds from the can linings! (Read about why it’s a good idea to avoid canned foods in this post.)

Try this unbelievably easy but perfectly delicious split pea soup recipe and you’ll never go back. (And if you think you don’t like split pea soup because you’ve only had canned, you need to give this split pea soup recipe a try!)

A hearty split pea soup is a great option for meatless meals, providing plenty of protein from plants. Here’s more on top vegan protein sources.

7 reasons to cook your own split pea soup:

• It’s a super affordable meal, just a few dollars for a huge pot that easily makes 8 servings
• Cooking your peas from dried allows you to soak them, making the nutrients more available
• Cooking with dried peas reduces your exposure to chemicals from can linings
• No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
• You slash your foodprint by skipping heavy cans
• You can control the amount of salt
• Homemade split pea soup is “souper” healthy, full of important nutrients like potassium and magnesium

Soaking and sprouting beans, grains and nuts is reemerging as a popular practice as more of us have learned about the benefits of traditional food preparation and lowering the amount of phytic acid in our diets.

Here’s a handy guide to soaking and sprouting. You’ll also save energy, as your split peas won’t have to cook as long — win-win!

Growing your own herbs can slash your foodprint further. Here’s a list of herbs you can grow in shade if your garden doesn’t get a lot of sun.

If you love bean-based soups, you need to try this incredibly flavorful and satisfying vegan white bean soup also!

Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe

Makes ~8 servings   Prep time: 10 minutes

1lb dried split green or yellow peas — If you can, soak them in water with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 8 hours or overnight. (If you can’t, don’t sweat it!)
6 c water, vegetable stock, or chicken broth (how to make your own bone broth)
1 medium onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tsp dried thyme (I like to dry my own; where to buy)
pinch ground sage (optional) (where to buy)
salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and simmer, covered, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally (or make it in a slow cooker if you prefer). Check seasoning and consistency and add more stock or thyme according to taste. Soup that’s too thick benefits from some more liquid; if it seems too thin, remove the cover to let some liquid burn off. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, you can add ½ cup fresh or frozen spinach or cooked kale for an extra nutritional boost.

Have you made homemade split pea soup before? Hope you love it, too!
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Photo credits: Carol, Jun Seita, Dvortygirl, via Flickr