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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Creamy Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric

    Published: Jan 9, 2022 · Modified: Jan 9, 2022 by Jacqui Wilson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric in two bowls with spoon
    creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric in two bowls with spoon

    Creamy yellow split pea soup filled with plant-based protein and a boost of antioxidant-rich turmeric. An easy-to-make homemade comforting soup with a healthy vegan twist on a traditional recipe.

    creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric in two pewter rimmed bowls with spoon blue cloth and cilantro
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this easy creamy split-pea soup
    • Noteworthy ingredients
    • How to make creamy yellow split pea soup
    • Instant pot method
    • Crockpot or slow cooker method
    • Tips, tricks and variations for split pea soup
    • FAQs
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Recipe

    Why you'll love this easy creamy split-pea soup

    • Yellow split pea soup is easy and affordable to make.
    • This hearty split pea soup can be made on the stove top, instant pot or crockpot (slow cooker).
    • It's creamy, hearty, flavorful, filling, savory and healthy.
    • This vegan soup is a great source of plant-based protein as well as high in nutrients like potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, fiber, and low in fat.
    • Turmeric is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory superfood!

    If you like simple healthy soups, try my roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup recipe and my spicy red lentil soup recipe. Or serve this cozy soup with side of crunchy kale salad with spicy peanut vinaigrette.

    Noteworthy ingredients

    Ingredients for creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric on a marble background
    • Yellow split peas: mild and mellow in flavor with a touch of sweetness. They don't need to be pre-soaked but benefit from a good rinse and pick-over for small stones or debris. You can easily substitute for green split peas which will give a more brown-green color to the soup.
    • Olive oil: used to sauté the onions. Can be substituted with ghee or a neutral oil.
    • Yellow onion and carrots: build a depth of flavor to the soup.
    • Bay leaf: adds a sweet aroma and lightness of flavor to heavy and hearty soups, with hints of spearmint and menthol.
    • Vegetable broth: adds nutrients and a balance of flavor. You can swap for water or use half broth and half water. Make sure to have some extra on the side as the soup can get quite thick and may need thinning.
    • Turmeric: contains a powerful antioxidant called curcumin, which can potentially lower inflammation and boost brain power. It also enhances the vibrant yellow color of this healthy, simple soup.
    • Black pepper: has an active ingredient called piperine which enhances the absorption of curcumin in the body; that's why it's always good practice to add black pepper to any dish that includes turmeric.

    see recipe card for all ingredients and quantities

    How to make creamy yellow split pea soup

    Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes.

    Add the carrots, bay leaf, split peas, vegetable broth, turmeric, salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until split-peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Thin soup with additional broth or water as needed.

    • onions sautéing in a large pot

    When done, discard bay leaf and purée soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or vented high-speed blender. Add warm broth as needed to thin.

    • creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric in large pot fully cooked showing bayleaf

    Serve with a garnish of cilantro or parsley, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a pop of heat.

    Hint: Soup may thicken while cooking or when puréeing. Use extra broth or water to thin soup as needed.

    Instant pot method

    Using the sauté setting, heat oil, add onions and sauté for 10 minutes or until softened. Press cancel. Add carrots, bay leaf, split peas, only 4 cups of vegetable broth (less liquid will evaporate using the instant pot), turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir.

    Put on lid and seal. Set to pressure cook high for 15 minutes. It takes about 10 minutes to pressurize before cooking, and about 15 minutes to allow steam to release naturally after cooking.

    When done, remove lid. Discard bay leaf and purée soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or vented high-speed blender. Add warm broth to thin if needed.

    Crockpot or slow cooker method

    In a medium sized pan on the stovetop, heat oil, add onions and sauté for 10 minutes or until softened. (You can omit this step and place all ingredients in crockpot. The soup will result in a little less depth of flavor you get from sautéing onions).

    Add onions, carrots, bay leaf, split peas, only 4 cups of vegetable broth (less liquid will evaporate using the slow cooker or crockpot), turmeric, salt and pepper to a 4-6 quart crockpot. Stir. Allow to cook on low for 7-8 hours.

    When done, remove lid. Discard bay leaf and purée soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or vented high-speed blender. Add warm broth to thin if needed.

    Tips, tricks and variations for split pea soup

    Creamy split pea soup is simple to make and can be made even easier with a few simple tips.

    • No need to pre-soak split peas before cooking. Similar to lentils, just toss them in the pot and allow them to soak in all the brothy goodness as they soften.
    • Split peas have an abundance of natural starch that will thicken the soup as it cooks. Keep some extra broth or water handy to thin the soup to your liking as it cooks or after it has been puréed.
    • If your split-peas are old or stale, sometimes apparent by a faded yellow appearance to the peas, you may need to get some fresh split-peas. Older peas may not soften enough even after an hour or more of cooking.
    • If you like your soup more textured, only blend a portion of the soup to add some thickness without making the soup too creamy.
    • Don't forget to remove the bay leaf before puréeing into creamy goodness.
    • Feel free to substitute green split peas if that's what you have on hand. It won't have a huge impact on taste but the soup will be more brown-green in color.

    FAQs

    Do yellow split-peas need to be soaked before cooking?

    There is no need to pre-soak your split-peas before cooking. They absorb water and cook well without soaking.

    What is the difference between green split-peas and yellow split-peas?

    Both yellow and green split-peas have similar cooking methods and nutritional profiles. Some say the difference is that yellow split-peas have a mild, mellow and sweeter flavor than green split-peas.

    Why won't my yellow split-peas soften?

    Your split-peas should soften within 45 minutes of cooking. If they don't soften it's likely that the peas are old or stale. Check the shelf life and use a fresh batch of split peas to make the soup.

    creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric in two bowls sprinkled with red pepper flakes and cilantro beside a blue cloth

    Equipment

    • Large soup pot or Dutch oven with lid
    • Immersion blender, food processor or vented high-powered blender

    Storage

    This recipe can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container, preferably glass, for up to 3 days. It will thicken as it rests so you will need to thin the soup with broth or water when reheating.

    Does split pea soup freeze well? The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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    Recipe

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    Creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric in a bowl with spoon and a blue cloth

    Vegan Creamy Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric


    • Author: Jacqui Wilson
    • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
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    Description

    Creamy yellow split pea soup filled with plant-based protein and a boost of antioxidant-rich turmeric. An easy-to-make homemade comforting soup with a healthy vegan twist on a traditional recipe.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 cups (440 grams) yellow split peas, rinsed and drained
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 large yellow onion, diced
    • 2-3 small carrots, peeled and diced
    • 1 dried bay leaf
    • 6 cups (48 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed
    • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • Garnish with a handful of chopped cilantro and crushed red pepper flakes for heat

    Instructions

    Stovetop

    1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes.
    2. Add the carrots, bay leaf, split peas, vegetable broth, turmeric, salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until split-peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Thin soup with additional broth or water as needed.
    3. When done, discard bay leaf and purée soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or vented high-speed blender. Add warm broth as needed to thin.
    4. Serve with a garnish of cilantro or parsley, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a pop of heat.

    Instant Pot

    1. Using the sauté setting, heat oil, add onions and sauté for 10 minutes or until softened. Press cancel. Add carrots, bay leaf, split peas, only 4 cups of vegetable broth (less liquid will evaporate using the instant pot), turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir.
    2. Put on lid and seal. Set to pressure cook high for 15 minutes. It takes about 10 minutes to pressurize before cooking, and about 15 minutes to allow steam to release naturally after cooking.
    3. When done, remove lid. Discard bay leaf and purée soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or vented high-speed blender. Add warm broth to thin if needed.

    Crockpot

    1. In a medium sized pan on the stovetop, heat oil, add onions and sauté for 10 minutes or until softened. (You can omit this step and place all ingredients in crockpot. The soup will result in a little less depth of flavor you get from sautéing onions).
    2. Add onions, carrots, bay leaf, split peas, only 4 cups of vegetable broth (less liquid will evaporate using the slow cooker or crockpot), turmeric, salt and pepper to a 4-6 quart crockpot. Stir. Allow to cook on low for 7-8 hours
    3. When done, remove lid. Discard bay leaf and purée soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or vented high-speed blender. Add warm broth to thin if needed.

    Notes

    • No need to pre-soak split peas before cooking. Similar to lentils, just toss them in the pot and allow them to soak in all the brothy goodness as they soften.
    • Soup may thicken while cooking or when puréeing. Use extra broth or water to thin soup as needed.
    • This recipe can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container, preferably glass, for up to 3 days. It will thicken as it rests so you will need to thin the soup with broth or water when reheating.
    • The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Cook Time: 55 min
    • Category: dinner
    • Method: stovetop
    • Cuisine: American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cup
    • Calories: 305
    • Sugar: 8.1 g
    • Sodium: 530.1 mg
    • Fat: 5.5 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
    • Trans Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 49.2 g
    • Fiber: 18.8 g
    • Protein: 17.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: split pea soup, yellow split peas, hearty soup, instant pot, crockpot

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