Do split peas need to be soaked?

While it can help speed up cooking time, it is technically not necessary to soak them especially if you are using a slow cooker or pressure cooker. It can be helpful for reducing cooking time on the stove top and I generally recommend this technique. If you forget to soak overnight, you can do a quick soak by placing rinsed split peas in a bowl with boiling water and allowing it to sit for an hour before starting the recipe.

Why are my split peas still hard after cooking?

There could be a number of reasons for this, but one main reason is that your split peas are old. Old legumes, chickpeas and lentils tend to resist cooking and take much longer to soften. Unsoaked peas can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to cook depending on your desired consistency.

Can this soup be made ahead of time?

This soup is perfect for meal prep for the week or beyond. I’ve included some storage tips below to help provide some good recommendations for refrigerating and freezing. To help make this soup faster, consider soaking your lentils or using some prechopped carrots, celery and onion to save time.

Is split pea soup healthy?

This vegan version of split pea soup is loaded with fiber and protein thanks to the split peas. They are also high in iron, folate and potassium. Potassium in particular is associated with keeping your blood pressure in a healthier range, so consuming adequate amounts of potassium rich sources like split peas can be beneficial.

Can I replace the split peas with lentils?

The soup won’t have the exact same taste, but you can substitute green lentils if needed. Please note that the amount of liquid and cook time will be different as lentils cook faster. If you’d like a lentil soup specific recipe try this Latin Style Lentil Soup or if you have red lentils try my Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Soup .

Vegan Split Pea Soup with Smoky Baked Tofu

Description

This hearty and healthy split pea soup is loaded with umami flavor and topped with smoky baked tofu. Vegan and can be made in the instant pot for easy meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale

1–2 tbsp of oil or vegetable broth for sautéing
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp each black pepper, dry oregano, dry thyme and smoked paprika
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 bay leaves
6 fresh thyme sprigs
1 lb dry green split peas, rinsed and drained
6 cups vegetable broth or 1–2 tsp Better Than Bouillon dissolved in 6 cups water
1 cup unsweetened plant based milk, optional
2 tsp yellow miso paste
Salt to taste
Baked Smoky Tofu, for garnish

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Instructions

In a large pot or instant pot, heat up your oil and sauté onions, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook the vegetables down until onions have become translucent.
Add in garlic and sauté until fragrant.
To the pot, add dry thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, pepper and nutritional yeast, then stir well to combine with vegetables.
Pour in the split peas along with the vegetable broth and milk, then top with the fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Stove Top Instructions: Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 1 hour or until split peas are tender. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent veggies or split peas from sticking and burning the bottom of the pot.
Instant Pot Instructions: Close the lid and seal the pressure valve, then set the pressure cooker to manual pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Leave the soup as is for 15 minutes and then release the remaining pressure through the pressure valve before opening and stirring.
Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the soup. Then mash and mix 1/4 cup water with the miso paste until there are no lumps remaining. Pour mixture into pot after soup is done cooking. Stir well and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with baked tofu and enjoy.

Notes

You can add some potato to this soup to make it extra rich and hearty. Add diced golden potatoes when you add in the herbs. Note it will cause the soup to thicken more, so you may wish to add more broth or water.

Your soup will thicken over time. You will notice that at the end of cooking, your soup will be very loose. Once off the heat and allowed to sit, your soup will continue to thicken.

Blend your soup if you’d like it to be creamy. The split peas will break down as they soften, but you can use a hand held immersion blender and blend the soup to desired consistency.

Add your miso at the end of cooking. This will help preserve the flavor of your miso and prevent it from getting bitter.