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Flavorful, hearty soup made quickly and easily in the Instant Pot. Serve it up with smoky tempeh crumbles and a slice of crusty bread. This Vegan Split Pea Soup is craveable comfort food!
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There is nothing I love more than a comforting steaming bowl of soup.
Most soups I make take about 30 minutes give or take. I don’t make split pea soup often because it does take a bit longer, anywhere from 1 to 2 hours on the stovetop.
But, now, you can have split pea soup even on a weeknight with my easy Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup!
Nutritional highlights
Traditional split pea soup is made using a leftover ham bone and it usually contains some kind of smoked meat, like ham, bacon, or turkey. Smoked meats and processed meats have been linked to increased risks of cancer, so a traditional bowl of split pea soup might not be that great health wise.
Split peas themselves, however, like all legumes, are incredibly nutritious! They contain large amounts of fiber, protein, folate, and B vitamins.
My Vegan Split Pea Soup is relatively low in calories, but boasts nearly 20 grams of fiber and 25 grams of healthy plant protein! Not to mention all the vitamins and minerals and zero cholesterol. This version is definitely good for you!
What is the difference between the Instant Pot and a pressure cooker?
A pressure cooker is a sealed pot that uses steam to cook food under high pressure. This process cooks the food in much less than time a traditional stove-top or oven baked method.
Instant Pot is a brand of electric multi-cooker kitchen appliances. It’s most widely known for its pressure cooker function. Unlike a standard pressure cooker, the Instant Pot has multiple functions and can be used in many ways.
What does the Instant Pot do?
So, what exactly does the Instant Pot do? That depends on what model you have.
I have the 7-in-1 Programmable Instant Pot which has all of these functions:
- Pressure Cooker
- Slow cooker
- Rice cooker
- Sauté/browning
- Yogurt maker
- Steamer
- Warmer
Want to more about the Instant Pot and how much I love it? Check out my Slow Cooker Red Lentil Stew and CSA Layered Indian Dinner.
Do split peas need to be soaked?
Split peas do not need to be soaked. You do want to pick through them to make sure there isn’t any debris among them and then rinse them really well with cold water.
If you are cooking split peas on the stove top, soaking them overnight can reduce the cooking time, but it’s not necessary.
How many cups is 1 lb of split peas?
A one pound package of split peas is roughly 2 cups. You”ll need exactly that for this Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup.
Don’t you love it when things work out like that?!
How to serve
Split Pea Soup is filling enough to eat as as meal on its own, especially with the Smoky Tempeh Crumbles, but if you are looking to pair it up with something else, try some of these choices:
- Crusty slice of bread with or without a slather of dairy-free butter
- Store-bought vegan sausages…we like Field Roast brand.
- Vegan Cornbread
- Veggie Wrap
- Massaged Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Smoky Millet & Pinto Bean Patties
Want to learn more about tempeh? See my Smoky Vegan Broccoli Soup with Crispy Tempeh Croutons.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: This soup can also be frozen without compromising taste or texture. Be sure to cool the soup completely before transferring to freezer safe zipper top bags or air-tight plastic containers. You can do this in individual portion sizes or freeze the whole thing together.
The soup will keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months. Tip: Write the Recipe Name and Use By Date on the plastic bag or a piece of masking tape fixed to the plastic container so there are no guessing games later.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the Split Pea Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 celery diced
- 1 large potato peeled and shredded or diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 pound (2 cups) green split peas picked over and rinsed well with cold water
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes optional
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
For the Smoky Tempeh Crumbles, optional
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch cayenne optional
- 1 package (7 or 8 ounces) tempeh gluten free, if desired
Instructions
For the Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Turn on the Instant Pot and heat the oil on the Sauté function. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add the potato, garlic, thyme, black pepper, bay leaf, and liquid smoke. Sauté 1 minute.
- Add the split peas and broth and stir to combine.
- Cancel the Sauté function, place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it in place. Set the steam release valve to Sealing.
- Use the Manual function to choose 12 minutes on High Pressure.
- When the 12 minute cook time is up, the Instant Pot will beep several times. Let the pot release some pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Then, carefully switch the steam release valve to Venting to release the remaining pressure. The Instant Pot will be on the Keep Warm function now. You can turn it off at this time or leave it on if you want to keep it warm for a longer time.
- Carefully open the lid. Take out the bay leaf.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, if using, squeeze of lemon, and salt, as needed.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary, adding more thyme or liquid smoke.
- Serve hot with Smoky Tempeh Crumbles (directions follow).
For the Smoky Tempeh Crumbles
- Make these crumbles when the Instant Pot is in Natural Release Mode and everything will be done around the same time.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the smoked paprika and cayenne, if using, and stir into the oil until combined.
- Crumble the tempeh into small pieces right into the pan and stir well to ensure that all of the tempeh pieces get coated in the flavored oil.
- Sauté the tempeh for 4 to 5 minutes until the edges of the crumbles get crispy. Adjust the heat as necessary so it doesn't burn.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Stephanie
Hi, this soup sounds really good! My daughter has Celiac disease and I have been able to find gluten free Tempeh, and we’re not really tofu fans. Any suggestions for a substitute? Thank you!
Jenn Sebestyen
The tempeh crumbles are optional. You can just leave them out. Or serve it with your favorite crackers or croutons if you want the texture. Enjoy!
Michelle
This was one of the best split pea soups I’ve made! The addition of liquid smoke really added a lot of flavor. I left my potatoes in small chunks for extra texture. I will definitely make it again!
Jenn Sebestyen
That’s wonderful! Thank you, Michelle. I’m so happy you love it!
Heidi
The liquid smoke makes this soup have incredible flavor. The consistency is perfect and it’s even better the next day.
Jenn Sebestyen
So wonderful to hear. Thank you, Heidi!
Donna Gordon
How much is a serving. This sounds really good but I need to know how much you can eat for the 343 calories.
Thanks..
Jenn Sebestyen
Roughly about 2 cups or so.
Angel
Wonderful recipe. I skipped the Potato and blend slightly just like mom did. As others have mention, no stove top cooking ever again.
Jenn Sebestyen
Aw, this makes me so happy! I’m so happy you love it, Angel. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Mildred
The soup was delicious and quite filling.
Jenn Sebestyen
Thanks, Mildred. I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
kirstin troyer
Made this today…so good. I may not go back to stove top soup again.
Jenn Sebestyen
I’m so happy you love it Kristin! Thank you!
Cassie
This is divine. Was looking for the perfect split pea soup recipe and found it here! Loved keeping the potatoes as chunks – added some more bite to it. Thank you for this recipe!
Jenn Sebestyen
I’m so happy you love it, Cassie. Thank you for your feedback!
Dhianna
This soup is tonights dinner. Thanks a million
Jenn Sebestyen
Thanks, Dhianna! Happy New Year!
Usha Shivakumar
Made this soup today. It was brimming with flavor and taste not to mention it was easy to make. Thank you!
Jenn Sebestyen
Thank you, Usha! So glad you enjoyed it!
Daniele Figiel
I made this today. I don’t use oil so that saved me a step. I found out later that I left out 2 cups of water! So it was the consistency of a nice stew! So satisfying and tasty! (I added a bit of hot water with a lot of lemon juice! Tasty! Thank you Jenn, for a new family favorite!
Jenn Sebestyen
Thank you, Daniele! I’m so glad you love it!
Angela
Wow! I’ve been making this every week for a month now and it’s sooooo good. I try to avoid oil when I can, so I will not the sauté step and it always turns out great. Thank you for the incredible recipe!
Jenn Sebestyen
I’m so glad you love it, Angela! You can always sauté in broth or just plain water! Thanks for your feedback!
Tami
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have liquid smoke, but it’s still so good! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
Jenn Sebestyen
I’m so glad you love it, Tami! Thank you!
Rebecca
When do you add in the bay leaf and the lemon juice? Thanks.
Jenn Sebestyen
Hi, Rebecca. Sorry for the oversight…I just added it to the directions. The bay leaf goes in with the other herbs/spices. The lemon is a squeeze at the very end. Enjoy!
Pam Fischer
New to this vegan way of life and loving it! Just waiting for my soup to be done and
can’t wait to taste it! You made it really simple! Love forward to trying other vegan
meals!
Thank you
Jenn Sebestyen
Hi, Pam! I’m so glad you found me and so happy all is going well so far. I hope you love the soup. And feel free to ask me any questions that arise along your journey…shoot me an e-mail anytime! jenn (at) veggieinspired (dot) com Enjoy!
Amy Brown
How would you make this without an instant pot? I don’t have one. Thanks.
Jenn Sebestyen
Hi, Amy. I can’t say for certain since I haven’t tested it that way, but usually split peas take at least an hour on the stovetop, maybe even a little longer. You’ll likely need an extra cup or two of broth, as well. Let me know if you try it!