Sweet yams and greens add a new level of excitement to traditional split pea soup. This recipe is easy to make and yields a large pot of soup, perfect for a family dinner or lunches for the week.
Split Pea and Yam Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 6 to 8 (makes about 10 cups) 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ½ cups water
- 2 cups dry/uncooked split peas
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium yam, peeled and chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 medium white potato, peeled and chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 2 ribs celery, sliced (about ⅔ cup)
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground celery seed
- 5 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (or other greens)
Instructions
- Bring the water and split peas to a boil in a soup pot over medium-high heat, uncovered.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (so the peas don't stick to the bottom of the pan).
- Stir in the onion, yams, potatoes, celery, oregano, garlic, cumin, and celery seed, and bring to boiling over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, foir about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
- Stir in the greens and cook for 5 minutes more.
Notes
Texture: Create a smoother soup by using a handheld potato masher or electric immersion blender, or by pouring half or all of the soup into a blender or food processor (cool a bit first before doing this so there is no danger of burning yourself).
Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite to use in this soup since they are so naturally buttery and creamy, but any kind of white potato can be used. Same for yams: any type or sweet potato can be used. I like to peel my potatoes for this soup, but you may also leave the skins on.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.25 cups
- Calories: 221
- Sugar: 6.9g
- Sodium: 86mg
- Fat: 0.8g
- Carbohydrates: 42.3g
- Fiber: 14.7g
- Protein: 13.3g
- Cholesterol: 0g
This looks delicious, Cathy. I don't see your Mushroom Marinara Sauce or the Emerald Sauce on this Web site. Is it here somewhere and I just can't locate it? Thanks for a great cooking class at TrueNorth today! 8-4-10
Hi there 🙂 So glad you liked the class. The recipes from today are now on the blog. Thanks!
I made this for dinner. I blended about 2/3 in the blender and added the creamed portion to the soup base. I also steamed sliced carrots, a couple more Yukon potatoes, crimini mushrooms and a few white and red pearl onions and added to the soup just before serving. This was very easy and my family loved it.
This was such a wonderful soup/stew that had a great flavor. Even my non-vegan family loved it.
Tried this, it was amazing. Put some in the freezer but it won't stay there long!
We just made this and it was awesome. Can't wait to have more all week long!
I have made several split pea recipes and this is by for the BEST. It was even better after setting in the ref. for a day. Will definately make this again. Keep tlhe recipes coming. How about some chili? It gets cold in TN.
Hi Linda, thanks! 🙂 I do have a chili recipe, just search "Veggie Chili."
This soup is so delicious! I used spinach for my greens and also blended the whole pot with my immersion blender. I orginally got the recipe from the Forks over Knives website and just found your site today. I can't wait to try some more of your recipes...they all sound delicious....don't know which to try first! Thank you for sharing Cathy!
Thank you Karen! And welcome! 😉
This soup is delicious. I am a big split pea person and this is some of the best I have ever eaten. I did a search for cooking without oil because I am having gi issues and the doctors suspect gallbladder. The surgeon wants me to avoid all fats, oils, and seasonings in case I need surgery. This website is a great tool for healthy-whole food eaters. Thank you Cathy.
Hi Heather, welcome! 🙂 That's good advice. Better to avoid the surgery, as you'd have to still be careful about your diet after. I hope you find this blog useful; email me if you have any questions about the fat, etc. (I don't use any oils.)
I made the split pea & yam soup today. I had some doubts about the flavor without any salt, but it is quite delicious. Thank you for your good ideas. I am anxiously waiting for your cookbook.
Just made this to share during our Solstice Celebration at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary. I added nutritional yeast and mixed greens in just before serving without cooking them, and garnished the whole thing with a red pepper that I roasted without oil. It is delicious!! I may need to eat this pot myself and make a new one for the event 🙂 Thank you!
Just made this a while ago. It was very tasty! I didn't have time (or the inclination) to watch it on the stove, so I put it in a slow cooker on low for about 8-10 hours (can't remember now). Turned out great!
made this last night. it was a hit with everyone. I will be making this recipe again. thanks.
Cathy, this soup is delicious. I substituted 1/4 cup of barley for the split peas as a suggested variation. Thanks for all of your great recipes. Can't wait for your cookbook!
Thanks Iris! 😉
This recipe sounds great. It looks like it could be made in an Instant Pot. How long would I cook it?
I'm not sure, but your IP booklet should say; probably not too long.
This soup is delicious. The best split pea soup I have ever had. I love the bursts of sweet and white potato chunks. The spices again are spot-on. This is the first recipe I have tried of yours where I did not substitute homemade vegetable broth for water, since I had no broth on hand. It tasted fantastic with water, not bland at all, which is what had been assuming. I think I will forgo the broth for the next recipe I of yours I try. This is the recipe I will bring to people's houses to prove to them that this way of eating does not taste like deprivation. Thank you again.
Thanks Jan! 😉 Yes, I love this one. I never use broth/stock. I think the dried herbs/spices make up for it.
I have a big pot of this on the stove cooking right now, and it smells divine! You said this makes a big pot of soup and boy you were not kidding. Next time I will break out my largest soup pot instead of my Dutch oven! Not sure how I will get the chard in but I will figure out something! Thanks so much for your recipes. I am doing Eat to Live and got fed up (hah!) with the Fuhrman recipes that required a billion ingredients and 30 steps. Yours are so easy. Dump and cook! This makes life possible for me! I just want a tasty pot of something healthy for dinner. Your recipes generally last multiple nights, too, which is very helpful to someone with a job. You even got me to try chard (I love it!). I am a big fan!
Hi Jackie, that's great! I love that soup! Ooh, chard is great, especially if you want to add some salty taste, since it's naturally higher in sodium. Yum! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
This is such a wonderful recipe. Perfect for a chilly snowy day like this! Pea soup has never tasted better!
I love this recipe too! Thanks Darlene! 😉
I made this and loved it, thank you! I didn't have enough split peas, so I used red lentils to make up the difference and bok choi was my green of choice. It was delish! It makes a nice, hearty soup - a hug in a bowl!
Aw, yes, a hug in a bowl; love it! 😉 Thanks for the comment!
This is a go-to for me! In act, I love it so much that I often pass it along to plant-curious friends and always recommend your website!
Thanks so much, Casey! 😉