Yellow Split Pea Soup

Yellow split pea soup with Indian curry spices. Bright, flavorful, and filling! Vegetarian and gluten-free.

Sheryl Julian
Sheryl Julian was the Food Editor, reporter, stylist, and recipe developer for The Boston Globe for 30 years. She teaches food journalism at Boston University in the Masters in Gastronomy program.
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Sheryl Julian
Published March 04, 2017
Sheryl Julian
Yellow Split Pea Soup

Sheryl Julian

As winter soups go, split pea is definitely in the stick-to-your-ribs category.

Recently, I discovered that green split peas also come in a yellow variety. Simmer these along with a handful of Indian spices, and you have a bright, filling vegetarian supper.

Yellow Split Pea Soup

Sheryl Julian

Look for yellow split peas at any well-stocked grocery store, especially one with a good selection of Indian ingredients. Store any split peas not used for this recipe in an airtight container in a cool place and use with a year.

Develop the flavor in this simple soup by cooking some onion, celery, garlic, and fresh ginger in the pot before adding the spices (turmeric, cumin, and coriander!).

Stir the yellow peas into the mixture, then let this soup simmer for a full hour and a half.

The peas grow in the pot (and they thicken even more if you store the soup overnight), so add more water whenever you need to maintain a soupy consistency.

Vibrant yellow split pea soup in a white bowl with cilantro, pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of yogurt
Sheryl Julian and Emma Christensen

Soup should nourish and warm you in the chilly months. Bowls of yellow split peas, garnished with yogurt or sour cream, a sprinkle of cilantro, and pepitas for salty crunch, fill the belly in the most pleasant way.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you're having trouble with split peas that don't seem to soften despite hours of simmering. The likely cause is old or expired split peas. Even if you just bought your split peas, who knows how long they've been sitting on the shelf -- or in a warehouse before they were on the shelf! There's not really a good way to tell if your split peas are still good. Our best advice is to purchase split peas from a reputable grocery store where it seems like turnover on beans and legumes is high. These stores are more likely to have reliably fresh split peas.

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Yellow Split Pea Soup

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 3 hrs
Total Time 3 hrs 15 mins
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 jalapeno or other hot pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 pound (2 1/4 cups) yellow split peas
  • 2 quarts (8 cups) water, or more if needed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 4 tablespoons), or more to taste
  • 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream, to serve (optional; omit if making a vegan soup)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
  • 3 tablespoons roasted, salted pepitas, to serve

Method

  1. Cook the root vegetables and seasonings:

    In a soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, until the onions are looking translucent and softened.

  2. Add the hot pepper and spices:

    Stir in the jalapeno or other hot pepper, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

    Yellow Split Pea Soup

    Sheryl Julian
  3. Stir in the split peas:

    Continue stirring until they are coated all over with spices.

    Yellow Split Pea Soup

    Sheryl Julian
  4. Pour in the water and bring to a boil, stirring:

    Add the bay leaf.

  5. Simmer the soup:

    Cover the pot and let the soup bubble gently for 1 1/2 hours, until most of the split peas have fallen apart and are tender.

    Stir the soup occasionally. If the soup looks like it has broken down at this point, add the salt, stir and cook for another half an hour until the soup looks thick and creamy then move on to step 6.

    If your split peas still feel firm cook for an additional 30-60 minutes (2 1/2 -3 hours total cooking time) before adding the salt. Add more water if the soup seems too thick.

    Yellow Split Pea Soup

    Sheryl Julian
  6. Taste the soup for seasoning:

    Once the split peas are tender, add the lemon juice, plus additional salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

  7. Serve the soup:

    Ladle into bowls and garnish with yogurt or sour cream, cilantro, and pepitas.