Vegan Split Pea Soup
Thick, creamy, and full of flavor, this soup is sure to please!
INGREDIENTS:
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb green split peas, rinsed and sorted
8 Cups unsalted vegetable broth
Vegan ham-flavored broth base*
Salt and Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion 5 minutes, until just starting to brown. Add carrots, cook another 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Add peas and broth to vegetables.
Stir in vegan ham broth base (if using), following package directions for amount. (Mine was 2 tsp base per cup of liquid.) Bring up to a boil and then turn heat down so soup is at a low, gentle boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Peas will start to break down at this point.
Continue to simmer another hour to hour and a half, stirring occasionally, until peas have completely broken down and soup is thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and liquid smoke flavoring (if using). Enjoy!
* Note that while the ham base is optional, it definitely adds an authentic, smoky ham flavor to the soup and I highly recommend it. I purchased mine off Amazon, since I have been unable to find vegan ham base in supermarkets. If you don’t want to use the ham base, season the soup to taste with some liquid smoke seasoning to mimic some of the smoky flavor.