This healthy split pea soup makes a great healthy vegan recipe for a cold day. It has lots of rich flavor, even though it’s vegan and healthy. The key to a really delicious pea soup is all in the cooking of the peas…

I didn’t show this in the video, but I usually make this soup with either zucchini or carrot. Adding a vegetable brings extra nutrients, and lightens the soup up. Phil and I have been eating a ton of carrots lately (a mainstay of a healthy vegan diet), so I left them out of my soup today but I put them in the directions for you to try.

The wine in the recipe is optional, but it adds so much to the flavor of the soup that I highly recommend it. It’s also a great excuse to have a few sips while you get dinner ready

This recipe is listed to take quite a while – that’s to let the peas cook properly, and to get the best flavor for the soup. This is a great one to make in a slow cooker, and you could leave it on for the day. The longer it simmers, the softer the peas will get and the better the flavor will be.

This recipe is also very amenable to being doubled, and is an excellent one to freeze in individual servings for quick dinners or to-go lunches.

What do you think of this soup? Let me know below.

Healthy Split Pea Soup
Prep time: 15 min. Cooking Time: 1 hour (or longer)
Time from start to eating: 1:15

Makes 4-6 bowls.

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine (or vegetable stock, or water)
1 cup split peas
4 cups water or vegetable stock (salt-free)
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried oregano (optional)
1 large carrot or zucchini, chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp miso or tamari, or about 1/4 tsp sea salt to taste
pinch black pepper
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (or olives), chopped

Cooking Directions
Heat a soup pot, and add the wine, onion and garlic. Stir them every so often until they’re lightly cooked. Add the peas and the dried herbs. Pour in the water or stock and bring to a boil. If you want a thick soup, use 3 cups of water and you can add more when you puree the soup. Cover with a lid, and turn down to simmer. The peas will take about an hour to cook, but if you leave them on for longer they’ll get even softer.
Add the chopped carrot or zucchini about 20 minutes before you want to finish making the soup. This will allow them to soften, but not overcook. Once the peas are fully soft, take the bay leaves out and puree the soup with a hand blender, blender or food processor. Add the miso if you’re using it, or sea salt, and taste to be sure the flavors come together. Stir in the black pepper, and nutritional yeast if you’re using it, and then add the sundried tomatoes. They can be soaked before you add them to the soup, or let them soften in the soup for a few minutes.
Serve topped with chopped fresh cherry tomatoes and maybe some green onion. It’s great along with a fresh green salad.

Source: GO MEDIA: Writen by HEATHER NAUTA - Image Credit: Heather Nauta of HealthyVeganRecipes.net