Thick, creamy and luscious, this Lebanese green split pea soup is a unique vegetarian and vegan spin on split pea soup, made with traditional Middle Eastern seasonings. Top with za'atar (a blend of dried herbs, sesame, and sumac) for a really special flavor. (Recipe adapted from the Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook by Salma Hage).
Prep time: PT20M
Cook time: PT45M
Total time: PT60M
Rating
4.73 stars (22 reviews)
Keywords
vegan split pea soup, vegetarian split pea soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 and 1/4 cups green split peas
3 medium-sized gold potatoes (peeled)
1 yellow or white onion (diced)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper ((reduce if sensitive to spice))
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 stalks celery (diced)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley ((optional))
juice of 1 lemon
za'atar ((optional, for serving))
Categories
Soup
stew
Cuisine
dairy-free
gluten-free
grain-free
Middle Eastern
nut-free
refined sugar-free
soy-free
vegan
vegetarian
Steps
Add the split peas to a large saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside, and rinse out the pot.
Meanwhile, add the peeled potatoes to another saucepan, cover with cold water, salt the water heavily, and then bring it to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside. (I simply pour them into the same strainer I'm already using for my peas).
Heat the olive oil in your large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the cumin, pepper, and cayenne, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and slightly browned.
Add the potatoes, split peas, vegetable broth, and celery. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and add the parsley if using. Continue to simmer until the potatoes and split peas are fully cooked. Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth. (Alternately, you can blend the soup in batches in a blender or food processor).
Return the soup to the heat and add the lemon juice, and salt to taste. If desired, add water to thin out the consistency. Serve hot, topped if desired with a drizzle of olive oil, and a generous sprinkling of za'atar.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 fourth recipe
Calories: 282 kcal
Carbohydrates: 60 g
Protein: 17 g
Fat: 4 g
Sodium: 157 mg
Sugar: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Reviews
Katrina on 2021-08-26 (5 stars): Have just made this for dinner and the whole family LOVES it! Will definitely be making this again. We had some char-grilled peppers, olives and eggplant on the side and served with flat bread. So simple to make and so delicious!
Annie on 2021-08-11 (5 stars): I always peel the strings off celery before chopping. It’s not typical ham and pea soup but I found it extraordinarily delicious especially with the lemon and garlic.
Maybe it was the vegetable broth that made if taste ‘off’?
Pam on 2021-05-01 (2 stars): The inclusion of celery (of which I'm generally not a fan) should have dissuaded me from making this soup, but the reviews are so favorable. I must have done something wrong. The flavor is (to put it nicely) off. I also didn't like finding the little strings of celery after thorough blending. Otherwise, it's just not my kind of soup. I'd intended to serve it as a first course for a dinner party I'm hosting in a few days. And now I must scramble to find something else. I should add that I'm a big fan of Lebanese cuisine over all.
Dawn on 2021-01-03 (5 stars): This was amazing! I couldn't stop eating it! My picky kids liked it too. The za'atar on top just perfected it. Will definitely be making this again. My potatoes were good sized, so I did cut them up into smaller pieces and I'm glad that I did because they still have a firm texture when the beans were finished. I used the immersion blender, but kept some of the potato chunks for texture. Was incredible (and I rarely post reviews!).
Sarah on 2020-05-06 (5 stars): This is my favorite soup in the entire world. I've made it four times and I have never been anything but shook by how perfect it is. My desert island recipe for sure. Thanks!
Nicole on 2020-03-10 (5 stars): Wow this soup is so delicious. Thank you! Is there a way to share it to facebook?
Janelle on 2020-02-02 (5 stars): Perfection! This soup is amazing 🤗😄
Tiara on 2020-01-26 (5 stars): I just made this recipe. I love it! I wasn't sure how it would turn out because the ingredients seem so simple, but together it is amazing! I used the recipe notes at the bottom and roasted potatoes with the za'atar to add as a garnish when I eat it. This will be my meal prep for the week. I'm going to LOVE my lunch this week! Thanks for the recipe!
Phyllis on 2019-11-25 (5 stars): This is the most amazing Split Pea soup I have ever had. It will be a staple this winter. I added two diced carrots which I don't know if it changes the flavor but adds to the vitamin variety. And the lemon....I almost didn't add it because it tasted so good before I did. I mixed a small amount into a bowl to try and there was no looking back. Thanks for the hints in the narrative.
Megan P on 2019-07-03 (5 stars): To be honest, I was not expecting this recipe to be as good as it was. This is truly a "greater than the sum of its parts" soup. The za'atar on top definitely made it amazing, but even when I forgot to put it on the next day, it was still super tasty! This is a recipe I will be coming back to many times.
Lynn Hernandez on 2019-06-22 (5 stars): I made this tonight for 21 people at a zen mediation retreat. It hada really nice texture. Light and airy with a hint of heat (I added less cayenne and more cumin). I will make this again. I will use the left overs tomorrow as a base for a vegan asparagus and greens soup.
VICTORIA on 2019-04-23 (5 stars): Amazing recipe! Definately making this one a family staple!
