A Meat-Free Split Pea Soup

I grew up eating split pea soup – of course, it’s standard in German households – but it wasn’t vegetarian. It wasn’t a staple soup for us again until relatively recently, when Graham’s cousin made us Swedish split pea soup when we were visiting her on Öland. The Swedish version is good, of course, but I like the extra vegetables used in German Erbsensuppe, this vegetarian split pea soup.

The only real difference here when compared to a more typical version is removing sausages and bacon. I won’t say traditional, because in many homes this soup would have often been made without meat when my grandmother was a child, when times were lean. Smokiness is added with a hint of smoked paprika, and the soup is so hearty as it is that you don’t miss out on anything by omitting meat. You could try vegetarian sausage alternatives if you’d like to add them.

In Germany most people buy soup vegetables for this type of recipe, a ready-made pack with the exact vegetables you’ll need for this pot of soup or most Eintöpfe. Since this has been written with an English-speaking audience in mind, I’ve laid out the recipe with the individual vegetable amounts instead, and some alternative options. I hope you like this filling, wholesome soup as much as we do.

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Ingredients You’ll Need and Why

Split pea soup can be made year-round, but it features more cold-weather vegetables, or produce that stores well in the cold. These are my notes from recipe testing and you can find the full recipe card below with complete ingredient amounts and instructions.

• Split peas: use green or yellow split peas for this recipe. I’ve tested with both and both are good, but it’s usually easier to find one or the other. They need to be dried peas, not fresh small green peas that are frozen (or canned). Dried peas are mature peas, like dried beans, and take much longer to cook than fresh. Pictured are peeled split green peas, which are soaked for a shorter time than whole dried peas, as noted in the recipe.
• Celery root: feel free to use another root vegetable like kohlrabi or turnip to replace the celeriac, or use more potatoes and carrots instead.
• Leek: if you can’t find leek, just omit. You could add a bit more onion to make up for it but the soup is good without leek too.
• Potatoes: pictured are small potatoes, but larger winter storage potatoes can also be used. Try to use a type that doesn’t need to be peeled, both for ease of making and also for a little extra texture.
• Paprika: a little smoked paprika is what gives vegetarian split pea soup that hint of smokiness that you’d otherwise get from bacon. I highly recommend seeking it out for this recipe!
• Water: vegetable broth is usually salted, so it’s not used in pea soup. Season effectively and use water.
• Mustard: Dijon is best, but a middle-sharp German mustard is fine in a pinch. Don’t use yellow hot dog mustard. You could probably substitute a little mustard seed but the flavour would be different.
• Vinegar: adding a little acidity balances the soup and prevents it from tasting flat. Use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

How to Make Split Pea Soup

The onions need a slightly shorter cooking time here than I would usually do because they’re simmered with the peas for 40 minutes – they’ll soften to the point of almost disappearing into the soup by the time it’s finished. Keep in mind that the peas need to be soaked before doing anything else.

Step 1: sauté the onion in oil for about six minutes, until softened but not fully translucent. If the onion is sticking to the pot, reduce the heat and add a splash of water to loosen if needed.

Step 2: add the water, peas, paprika, and bay leaf. Bring to a low boil, then simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the peas are soft. This step can take a little longer if you’re using a different type of peas or if they were very old.

Step 3: after cooking, the peas will be largely broken down and should be soft. Make sure the peas are fully cooked before adding the vegetables.

Step 4: add the vegetables and some salt, then cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the vegetables are fork-soft. Stir in the mustard and vinegar, then season to taste and serve.

Expert Tips for the Best Soup

• Don’t add salt until later: the peas will take longer to cook and can cook unevenly if the water is salted. Adding the salt when the vegetables are added ensures that they will be seasoned properly.
• Cut the vegetables into small pieces: if the pieces are too big, they’ll take much longer to cook than outlined. It won’t hurt the peas if it does need to cook longer but be sure to cut to the size stated in the recipe if you want the timings to stay the same.
• Season to taste: I include this in almost every post, but you really must season your soups! This is an especially salt-sucking soup, with ingredients that absorb a lot of salt, and you’ll probably need to use much more than you think. Try the soup before serving, a proper spoonful, and if it tastes bland, add more salt until it tastes good.

More Filling Winter Soups

• Cabbage Lentil Soup – a good comforting recipe for cold weather, with cabbage, pasta, and plenty of vegetables
• Carrot, Red Lentil, and Spinach Soup – a long-time OE favourite, we also make this all the time. It makes great use of pantry ingredients like canned tomatoes and dried lentils
• Apple Parsnip Soup – with hidden white beans, it’s a creamy soup with a bit of sweetness
• Lemon White Bean Kale Soup – bright citrus lifts seasonal winter vegetables here

If you make this Split Pea Soup or any other vegetarian soup 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.