Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup
Yield 8 servings
Estimated Time , with active and inactive
Difficulty easy
Special requirements Pressure cooker, Cheese cloth, Butcher twine

Another vegan soup recipe to add to my collection! The challenge with making split pea soup vegetarian is that a major source of flavor comes from ham bones or ham hocks, which impart smokey, meaty, umami notes into the soup. Split pea soup really needs these flavors, so to get the meaty and umami notes, I’ve made this with mushroom broth instead of the usual water. For the smokey notes, I’ve utilized one of my new favorite ingredients, chipotle paste, which adds the smokey flavor without a hint on spicy in the final product. Once the ham is replaced, the soup is, surprisingly vegan!

Ingredient Amount Procedure
Active: 10 minutes | Inactive: 5 minutes
Medium leek 2
Medium yellow onion 1, about .5 lb
Garlic 5 cloves
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Kosher salt As needed
Fresh ground cracked pepper As needed
Chipotle or tomato paste 2 tsp

  1. Over medium-high heat, or high heat in an electric pressure cooker, heat the olive oil.

  2. Slice the leeks, up to the dark green leaves, in to 2mm slices.

  3. Cut the onion in half, remove the paper skin, and slice into 2mm slices.

  4. Mince the garlic.

  5. Add the onion and leeks to the heated olive oil and sweat down with salt and pepper, to taste, until onions are translucent and the leeks are wilted, about 5 minutes.

  6. Add in the mixed garlic and sweat until fragrant.

  7. Add in the chipotle paste and mix together until fragrant.
Active: 10 minutes
Yukon gold potato 1 medium, about .5 lb
Carrot 1 large, about .5 lb

  1. Slice the carrot into 4mm thick rounds.

  2. Slice the potato into 4mm thick flats, and then into approximately 1/2" by 1/2" squares.

  3. Add the potatoes and carrot to the pot and cook until they’ve begun to soften, about 5 minutes.
Active: 5 minutes | Inactive: 20 minutes
Mushroom broth 6 cups
Thyme sprig 6
Bay leaf 2
Dried mushrooms 5
Dried split green peas 1 lb
Kosher salt As needed
Fresh ground cracked pepper As needed

  1. Add dried mushrooms, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs into a cheese cloth and form into a pouch, tied together with butcher twine, forming a bouquet garni.

  2. Place the bouquet garni, mushroom broth, split green peas, salt, and pepper into the pot.

  3. Cook at 9 PSI for 15 minutes then release pressure.

  4. Remove the bouquet garni, stir soup together, season with salt and pepper, and serve