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Dips and Sauces

Split Pea Spread

March 1, 2019 by Alexandra Daum
This healthy vegan split pea spread is a bit like hummus, but made with creamy split peas instead of chickpeas, with sumac, lemon, and thyme.
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Top-down view of a pale spread or dip in a shallow bowl with sumac and thyme.

Making a dip is one of my favourite things to do with cooked pulses. They’re so easy to throw together and last at least a week in the fridge, which means lots of extra meal choices or quick options if I’m too busy to cook.

Split peas also pack a bigger nutritional punch than chickpeas with more protein and fibre, are easier to digest, and have a lighter, less bean-y taste. This split pea spread is perfect if you’re looking for something a little more neutral.

There’s a Greek recipe called Fava that uses split peas to make a hummus-like dip, but the traditional version uses a lot of cooked onions, which this recipe does not. There are some strong Mediterranean flavours like sumac, lemon, and olive oil here, and I’ve added some lemon thyme, one of my favourite herbs that’s doing really well in the herb/butterfly garden (see substitutes for thyme).

Table of Contents hide
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Recipe Notes
How to Store
Expert Tips
More Dips and Spreads
Split Pea Spread

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Split peas: these should be yellow split peas, not green. They can be found in most bulk food shops and many grocery stores.
  • Tahini: another nut/seed butter like sunflower seed butter can be subbed for tahini if you want a milder flavour.
  • Sumac: if you don’t have sumac, leave it out, or substitute some lemon zest.

Recipe Notes

To cook the split peas, soak them for at least 12 hours with a teaspoon of baking soda. After soaking, rinse, cover with fresh water, and cook until quite soft. They will take quite a while to cook, so I recommend making a larger batch and freezing some for later use.

I’m sure you could use a pressure cooker of some kind of cook the peas, but I don’t have one, so I can’t comment on how long it would take to do that. Soaking with baking soda makes the peas softer in the end.

How to Store

Storage: this can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week, and tastes best the day after making it.

Freezing: while Fava can be frozen, and I’m sure the same is true here, the texture is less pleasant after thawing. I don’t recommend freezing this.

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Expert Tips

  • Thin it out: if the spread is too thick and not blending into a smooth mixture, add a splash of water and blend more. This can be due to dry tahini or a lower-powered mixer.
  • Use a different blender: if you don’t have a food processor, a decent immersion blender or a standing blender that works for dry ingredients can be used for this recipe.

More Dips and Spreads

Green Pea Hummus
Sweet Potato Red Lentil Dip
Vegan Labneh
Avocado Aioli

If you make this Split Pea Dip or any other vegetarian spread recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.

Yield: 16

Split Pea Spread

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

Metric – American
  • 300 grams cooked yellow split peas*
  • 50 ml lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend at high speed until smooth, about two minutes, depending on how powerful your mixer is.
    300 grams cooked yellow split peas*, 50 ml lemon juice, 2 tablespoons tahini, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon thyme, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon sumac, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Serve immediately for a more dip-like consistency, or chill and serve cold for use as a spread. This is best after being chilled for a day. It will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
  • To serve, top with extra sumac and lemon thyme.

Notes

* To cook the split peas, soak them for at least 12 hours with a teaspoon of baking soda, rinse, cover them with water, and cook until quite soft. They will take quite a while to cook, so I recommend making a larger batch and freezing some for later use.

* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.


Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons Calories: 61kcal Carbohydrates: 7g Protein: 3g Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 0.4g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 2g Sodium: 149mg Potassium: 115mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 59IU Vitamin C: 3mg Calcium: 11mg Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.

© Alexandra Daum
Course: Appetizer, Dips and Sauces, Pantry Recipes, Side Dish, Sides, Snack, Snacks
Cuisine: American
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Print

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Previous Post: « Vegan Chickpea, Sweet Potato, and Kale Curry
Next Post: Brown Rice Pudding »

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Comments

  1. Margie Stevens says

    September 19, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    Nutrition facts? I’m diabetic, have a seizure disorder, migraines; all are affected by different items that I watch for in the nutrition section. Your recipes look amazing but I do need a little more information before I can try them.

    Reply
  2. Erika says

    June 7, 2017 at 7:02 am

    Yesss when I went to Ottolenghi in London, there was some split pea mash that reminds me a lot of this! (But with green peas.) I tried to recreate it and it was yum but my styling was absolutely laughable compared to yours–gorgeous!!!

    Reply
  3. kereta sewa shah alam says

    June 15, 2016 at 2:11 pm

    Its look sooo delicious. Perfect dish!
    thanks for sharing recipes with us here. Looking more from you dear

    Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    June 13, 2016 at 2:12 pm

    Dear Alexandra,
    I have found your blog somewhat by mistake, browsing here and there, looking for amazing vegetarian recipes and here I have found them 🙂 I'm already loving what I've seen here on you blog, I've bookmarked a few of your recipes and simply wanted to thank you for making this blog and such amazing recipes. Keep up the great job!
    Katya

    Reply

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