Split pea soup brings to mind a cozy French Canadian kitchen with a bustling grandmother and a pot that simmers on the stove all day - true comfort food. Traditionally, this soup included a ham bone simmered with dried split peas for at least several hours. Then, vegetables are added and the whole pot is cooked for an hour or more. The split peas become mushy and everything merges into a silky smooth puree.
Today, even vegans can partake in the split pea soup that warms the soul. Split peas provide the perfect thickening agent free of wheat, gluten, or animal products. Split peas soup really is the original soup that feels like a meal.
What are Split Peas?
Split peas are members of the legume or bean family, and are actually the same species (but different variety) of the fresh garden pea (McGee, 2004).
Split Pea Nutrition
A half-cup serving of cooked split peas provides
- Eight grams of protein;
- Eight grams of fibre, or about one-third the daily recommended minimu.
Making Split Pea Soup Vegan
To imitate the richness of a meat stock, miso (soybean paste) is used.
- Darker miso pastes yield stronger flavours, so beginners might like to start with a lighter white or yellow miso.
- Miso is available beside the sushi at some grocery stores, and is widely available at health food, specialty, and ethnic grocers.
- Miso is salty; try using a low-salt vegetable stock.
Vegan Split Pea Soup does not use animal bones, so it is not necessary to cook the split peas quite so long. Instead, this soup uses canned split peas for the ultimate in convenience, and a shorter cooking time accordingly. The final texture should still be silky smooth, but to hasten the process try using a potato masher or immersion blender to puree when cooled.
Vegan Split Pea Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 4 medium stalks celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 quarts vegetable broth (low-sodium, if desired)
- Miso, to taste (try 1-2 tbsp.)
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 bay leaf, whole
- 2 (19 ounce) cans cooked yellow split peas
- Black pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add chopped onions and stir well to coat. Cook while chopping celery and carrots; several minutes.
- Add chopped celery and carrots.
- Add vegetable broth, garlic, and bay leaf.
- Add split peas and stir.
- Simmer approximately one hour, or until all vegetables and split peas are soft.
- Remove bay leaf and stir in miso.
- Serve hot, or cool slightly and mash or puree.
Vegan split pea soup acts as a nutritious starter course for holiday meals, or can stand alone as a warming lunch or light supper. Hearty bread is required as the soup will be substantial and thick.
Reference: McGee, H. (2004). On Food and Cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen. New York: Simon & Schuster.
