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    Home » Recipes » Grateful Grazer

    Published: Apr 8, 2020 · Modified: Mar 11, 2022 by Stephanie McKercher, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    One-Pot Yellow Split Pea Soup

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Yellow vegetable soup in brown bowl with text that reads, "one-pot yellow split pea soup."

    Cozy up to a bowl of spicy and flavorful One-Pot Yellow Split Pea Soup.

    There are a few things I've been endlessly craving lately. Comforting soups, meaty mushrooms, and pulses of all kinds. This one-pot soup checks off all three boxes, so it's no surprise I'll be making it on the reg for at least the next couple of months.

    The star of this recipe is definitely the bag of yellow split peas that's been hanging out in my pantry for the past few months. In an effort to use what I have and make fewer trips to the grocery store, I've been searching for ways to use all of the hidden gems that have been stashed deep in the back of the cabinet. So far, it's been well worth the extra digging.

    Yellow Split Pea Soup in a brown ceramic bowl with cream linen napkin.

    Yellow split peas are probably most famously used to make dal, a pulse-based dish from India. You can use any type of lentil or split pea to make dal, but yellow split peas are especially common in the northern regions.

    My pantry-friendly/fridge-foraged soup recipe isn't exactly like traditional dal, but it does have lots of garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriander, so you still get plenty of Indian-inspired flavors.

    Even beyond the flavor, there are tons of other great reasons to try this soup.

    • You only need one pot
    • It's ready in less than an hour
    • Contains fiber, protein, and lots of immune-boosting micronutrients
    • Utilizes pantry-friendly ingredients
    • Great for meal prep
    • Freezer-friendly

    Have I convinced you yet?

    Instructions

    To prep, rinse the yellow split peas and chop an onion, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic.

    There's no need to soak the yellow split peas before you cook them. Like lentils, split peas cook relatively quickly even without soaking. Feel free to soak overnight if you want to reduce the cooking time. This could potentially make the yellow split peas easier to digest, too.

    Yellow split peas in a white colander.

    You can make this entire recipe with just one large stockpot. Place it on the stovetop over medium heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom.

    Add red onion and carrots and cook until the onion is translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms darken in color. If the vegetables start sticking to the bottom of the pot at any time, just stir in a little more oil and continue cooking. You can also lower the heat as needed.

    Chopped vegetables on a wood cutting board.

    Once the vegetables are sautéed, pour in the vegetable broth, water, yellow split peas, coriander, and turmeric. Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce heat to low-medium and cook until the yellow split peas are tender.

    I simmered this soup for about 25 minutes for peas on the firmer side. If you prefer a softer texture, cook the soup longer, adding water as needed to thin out the mixture.

    Root-to-Stem Cooking Tip:

    Besides utilizing pantry ingredients, I've also been trying to use the entire vegetable when I cook. This is called root-to-stem cooking. Try it out with the carrots in this recipe (assuming they came with the green parts attached).

    Just finely chop the carrot tops and stir them into the pot during the final 5 minutes of cooking.

    There's also no need to peel the carrots before you add them to the soup. Give them a good rinse, chop them up, and add them to the pot.

    Yellow split pea soup in brown ceramic bowl.

    How to Serve This Recipe

    I love a little garnish to add color, texture, and flavor to a finished dish. Try this Yellow Split pea Soup topped with cilantro, fresh chives, and toasted sunflower seeds.

    How to Toast Sunflower Seeds

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spread sunflower seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Then, bake the sunflower seeds for 5 minutes or until they turn golden brown and smell nutty and toasty.

    Yellow Split Pea Mushroom Soup in brown ceramic bowl with cream linen napkin.

    Can you make this recipe in advance? What's the best way to store it?

    This one-pot soup is perfect for meal prep. To store it, transfer the soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months.

    Ingredient Substitutions:

    • If you don't have yellow split peas, substitute green split peas or lentils
    • Out of fresh carrots? Replace with frozen or canned carrots instead
    • In place of fresh mushrooms, use dry (any type works)
    • If you don't have sunflower seeds, omit or try pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or slivered almonds
    Horizontal image of yellow pea soup in brown ceramic bowl.

    📖 Recipe

    Yellow Split Pea Soup in a brown ceramic bowl with cream linen napkin.

    One-Pot Yellow Split Pea Soup

    Mushrooms and protein-rich yellow split peas are simmered in a spicy, Indian-inspired broth flavored with garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriander.
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Save Saved! Rate
    Course: dinner, lunch, Soup
    Cuisine: gluten-free, Indian-Inspired, vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 520kcal
    Author: Stephanie McKercher, RDN

    Equipment

    • stockpot

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or as needed to coat the pot
    • 1 cup diced red onion (½ large)
    • 2 medium carrots, diced (reserve green tops if desired)
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2- inch piece of ginger, grated
    • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used mix of white and shiitake)
    • 4 cups vegetable broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups dry yellow split peas, rinsed
    • 1 tablespoon coriander
    • 1 tablespoon turmeric
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Optional for serving:

    • Cilantro leaves
    • Chopped fresh chives
    • Sunflower seeds, toasted if desired (see note)

    Instructions

    • Add grapeseed oil to a 12-quart stockpot over medium heat. Stir in red onion and carrots and cook 4 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Stir in garlic, ginger, and mushrooms and cook 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms darken in color. Add more oil to prevent the vegetables from sticking as needed.
    • Stir in vegetable broth, water, yellow split peas, coriander, and turmeric. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium and cook 25 minutes to 1 hour, or until peas reach desired level of softness. (Cook longer for a softer texture, see note.)
    • Chop green carrot tops and stir them into the pot during the final 5 minutes of cooking if desired.
    • Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
    • Divide soup between bowls and garnish with cilantro, chives, and sunflower seeds if desired.

    Notes

    Yellow Split Peas Note: There is no need to soak the yellow split peas before cooking them. Just rinse the dry split peas in a fine mesh strainer before you use them. Yellow split peas soften as they cook. I prefer firmer split peas, so only cook for 25-30 minutes. Others prefer a softer texture and have had good results from cooking the peas for around an hour. Taste the soup as it cooks and stop when the texture is right for you.
    To toast sunflower seeds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spread sunflower seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes or until golden brown and aromatic.
    Preparation: Prepare the soup up to 5 days in advance. 
    Storage: Store prepared soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 6 months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25recipe | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 78.1g | Protein: 27.2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.3g | Sodium: 743.4mg | Potassium: 1193mg | Fiber: 28.6g | Sugar: 13.9g | Vitamin A: 896.6IU | Vitamin C: 9.6mg | Calcium: 76.7mg | Iron: 7mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me on Instagram!Mention @GratefulGrazer or tag #gratefulgrazer.

    More Vegan Soup Recipes:

    • Vegan Turmeric Soup
    • Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
    • Vegan Corn Chowder
    • Tomato Barley Soup with Roasted Chickpeas
    • 8-Ingredient Harissa Bean Chili
    • Carrot Ginger Sweet Potato Soup

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    Yellow vegetable soup in brown bowl with text that reads, "one-pot yellow split pea soup."

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    1. Trish says

      July 17, 2022 at 10:56 am

      I made the soup, but by the time it got my desired pea/softness there wasn’t much liquid. I was afraid if I added water it would dilute the flavor. Any advice? *I didn’t have any more vegetable broth on hand.

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        July 20, 2022 at 4:10 pm

        Hi Trish, I would recommend adding more water. (Too much broth could actually make the soup too salty.) If it tastes too bland, you can add more salt or spices to taste. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    2. Rakhinationwide says

      April 23, 2021 at 12:20 am

      Amazing Job!! Keep up the good work.

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        April 23, 2021 at 4:08 pm

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    3. LINDY M. ELIAS says

      November 27, 2020 at 10:45 am

      My Yellow Split Peas have a Malodrorous scent after overnight soaking. How to rid the smell/

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        November 28, 2020 at 6:46 am

        Hi Lindy, the peas should be okay as long as you drain and rinse them from the soaking water and cook. As another option, you don't have to soak dry split peas (or lentils) before cooking them. Just rinse them before you put them in the pot to cook.

        Reply
    4. Steve Michaels says

      October 26, 2020 at 5:26 pm

      Great recipe for a cold rainy night! Simple and very tasty. We like the peas a little firmer and at 25 minutes they came out perfect. Definite keeper.

      Reply
    5. Steven Mandel says

      August 15, 2020 at 8:20 am

      5 stars
      Delicious, easy, good out of all proportion to the effort:) I froze a bunch; will make again.

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        August 19, 2020 at 11:36 am

        Thanks, Steven! Glad you enjoyed it and have more ready to go in the freezer! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Adam says

      July 19, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      Took about an hour to get the split peas soft. Followed the recipe as written minus the sunflower seeds. Added the optional cilantro. Soup was absolutely great. Will do again.

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        July 30, 2020 at 7:02 am

        Thanks, Adam! Glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    7. Mara says

      April 13, 2020 at 7:23 am

      5 stars
      Love how many vegetables this soup has! I'm also trying to switch to a healthier lifestyle and started to mine for healthy recipes like yours. Also, I'm training with SportMe home workout app, and I managed to get rid of some pounds. Your blog posts are super inspiring for me in this phase, thanks!

      Reply

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    Hello! My name is Stephanie. I'm a registered dietitian, recipe developer, and cookbook author. Here on Grateful Grazer, you'll find easy, plant-forward recipes, vegetarian nutrition information, and approachable guides to meal planning and prep.

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