Vegan Split Pea Soup topped with crispy fried mushroom “bacon” is the comforting dinner you NEED in your life! It’s hearty, packed with nutritious ingredients, and even kid-friendly.
Okay guys, gonna be honest with you. I kinda thought I hated split pea soup until I tried this.
As most of you know, I head up the photography and business development side of things for Crowded Kitchen, while my mom (Beth) heads up all of the recipe development. When she told me she was working on a split pea soup and kept raving about how good it was, I was pretty skeptical.
Split pea soup just doesn’t have the best reputation, you know? It usually looks a bit murky, swampy, and altogether lackluster.
But let me tell you, friends, I was hooked at first spoonful. Topped with crispy fried shiitake mushroom “bacon”, this vegan split pea soup is SERIOUSLY good. And it doesn’t even taste vegan (whatever that means).
But you know what I mean, right? The whole family will love this recipe. And we’re pretty sure everyone will go back for seconds, so you might want to make a double batch.
How to make split pea soup vegan
Most traditional split pea soup recipes contain ham bone, which adds meaty flavor and heartiness to the soup. To be honest, I never really liked ham, even before I stopped eating meat. It never did much for me, and my husband hates it, too.
But good news! It’s actually pretty easy to make split pea soup taste great without ham or any dairy ingredients.
I’ll tell you right now, DON’T skip out on the fried mushroom bacon. You guys, it is so ridiculously good. We couldn’t stop eating it. In fact, we barely had enough left over to style these photos! The soup is great on its own, but it’s really next level with the mushrooms.
Ingredients
Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most important ingredients you’ll need for this vegan split pea soup. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list!
- Split peas: kind of an unusual ingredient, but obviously very necessary to this soup. You can find them dried, usually next to all of the other dried beans and grains. Be sure to sort & rinse before using!
- Potatoes: potatoes add heft and creaminess to this hearty soup. They’re definitely a must! I typically opt for yellow potatoes, but red potatoes will work, too.
- Carrots: diced carrots add texture, color and sweetness that actually somewhat mimics ham.
- Fresh herbs. We’re all about fresh herbs in soup. This one calls for fresh parsley, dill and oregano, which really boosts the flavor. Dried just doesn’t do quite the same thing.
- Spinach: for extra green! And nutrients, of course. Wait to add until just before the soup is finished.
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed, always. All good soups need a hint of acidity to balance out all of the flavors. Lemon juice is perfect in this!
How to make fried mushroom bacon
The best part: MUSHROOM BACON. I just can’t even put into words how much I love this stuff.
I would never eat bacon now that I’ve been vegetarian for almost 4 years, but I have to admit, I do miss the smoky, rich flavor it adds to recipes. And the texture. There’s nothing better than crispy bacon!
We’re super excited about this mushroom bacon. It gets perfectly crispy, has plenty of deep umami flavor and a hint of smokiness (thanks to smoked paprika).
It’s easy to make, too – all you need is a deep pan and some frying oil! We use a dutch oven to prevent oil splatter mess. You only need an inch or two of oil, but it’s much easier to clean up if you use a bigger pot.
Shiitake mushrooms are the best choice. They have a natural smoky, earthy flavor and meaty texture. Plus, they’re pretty easy to find in most grocery stores.
Slice the mushrooms into thin strips, fry in high heat oil for about 5 minutes (until crispy and browned), then sprinkle with a mixture of salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Make sure you sprinkle them right after they come out of the pot, otherwise the salt won’t stick.
That’s it! Just be sure not to crowd the pot. You may have to do a few rounds, but it’s so easy that it’s really not much of a hassle. We do suggest making extra, because you’ll probably find yourself snacking on most of them 😉
In addition to the fried mushroom bacon, we also top our split pea soup with a drizzle of vegan sour cream and more fresh dill. You could also use yogurt or coconut cream. So good!
More vegan soup recipes
Love this vegan split pea soup? Here are a few recipes to try next:
- White Bean Tomato Stew with Feta and Parsley
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup with Crispy Poultry-Seasoned Tofu
- Smoky Pinto Bean Poblano Chili
- Lemon Rice Soup
- Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup
- Cheesy Broccoli Soup
If you make this vegan split pea soup recipe, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.
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Vegan Split Pea Soup topped with crispy fried mushroom “bacon” is the comforting dinner you NEED in your life! It’s hearty, packed with nutritious ingredients, and even kid-friendly.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp finely minced garlic (2–3 large cloves)
- 1 ½ cups carrots, diced
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup peeled yellow potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes
- 2 cups dried split peas, rinsed and sorted
- 6–7 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 ½–2 tsp kosher salt
- ¾–1 tsp pepper
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped dill
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped oregano
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 medium lemon, juiced (about ¼ cup)
- 1 ½ tsp agave syrup (optional)
Fried Mushroom Bacon:
- 1 ½ cup vegetable oil (or other high heat oil)
- 6–8 oz, shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
- Salt, pepper, smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat a large soup pot to medium and add oil. Add onions and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add celery, carrots, potatoes, salt, and pepper, stir and cook for a few minutes.
- Add split peas and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, add 1 ½ cups of vegetable oil to a deep dutch oven or similar pot. Heat over medium to medium high heat. Line a sheet pan with paper towel and set on the counter next to pot. In a small bowl, mix together about 1 tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Set next to sheet pan.
- Once oil is heated, add thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook until the shiitakes are crispy – it should take about 5 minutes per batch.
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a cutting board lined with paper towels. Immediately sprinkle with the salt mixture. Repeat with all mushrooms.
- Add parsley, dill, and oregano to the soup and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- Puree 4 cups of soup in a heat resistant blender with 1 cup of baby spinach leaves, lemon juice, and agave. Pour back in the soup pot and stir well. Alternatively, you can blend the entire soup, or leave it unblended.
- Top with shiitake bacon and vegan sour cream.
Notes
When reheating leftovers, you may need to add more vegetable broth to loosen it up. The soup tends to thicken when refrigerated.
Keywords: vegan split pea soup
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