Vegan Split Pea Soup (Slow Cooker)
There’s something almost magical about that first spoonful of warm, thick, savory split pea soup, especially when it tastes just like you remember. This vegan split pea soup is slow-cooked to cozy perfection, with a deep, meaty flavor (no broth cartons in sight!) and a chewy bite from our browned seitan ham that makes it feel extra special.
This post contains affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (at no cost to you). Click here to read our full policy about affiliate links. Thank you for shopping our affiliate links, as it helps us keep the free vegan recipes coming your way!
If you’ve ever had a bowl of split pea soup that felt flat or watery, this is your redemption arc. Our split pea soup recipe (vegan and made in the slow cooker) takes everything we love about this classic comfort food and dials it up…with way less effort.
It’s fully hands-off thanks to the Crockpot, but still delivers that homemade, rich, simmered-all-day flavor you crave. It’s hearty, filling, and soul-soothing in the way only split pea soup can be.
What makes this plant-based split pea soup recipe different is how much care we’ve put into layering flavor without needing store-bought broth. You’ll use our easy vegan bouillon powder (just water + powder = gold) to create a savory base that tastes like it came straight from the diner where my Nana and I went for split pea soup when I was a kid.
And then there’s the seitan ham. Most vegetarian split pea soups opt for tofu or skip the ham altogether, but we went big. Adding leftover browned seitan ham gives you a chewy, meaty bite that holds up beautifully in the soup. And it’s the perfect use for leftovers of our reader-favorite seitan ham recipe!
Save this recipe!
Add your email below to to get this recipe and more right in your inbox!
Split Pea Soup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this split pea soup slow cooker vegan recipe:
- Dried split peas – rinsed and drained well
- Carrots – for sweetness, texture, and a pop of color
- Onion – adds that slow-cooked savory flavor
- Garlic – Always. (said in a Snape voice, IYKYK)
- Vegan bouillon powder – We use our homemade vegan bouillon for the best flavor.
- Spice Cabinet: white pepper, dried thyme (more on seasonings below!)
- Seitan ham – Totally optional, but so good. If you’re gluten-free, you’ll want to skip this!
- Fresh parsley – for brightness at the end
And don’t forget the homemade air fryer croutons! The diner where my Nana and I always ordered split pea soup served it with these tiny, salty homemade croutons on top, so now I can’t serve this soup without them!
Notes & Substitutions
- Want this to be a vegan gluten free split pea soup? Just skip the seitan ham or swap in a gluten-free sausage-style crumble.
- You can use store-bought bouillon powder, bouillon paste (cut the amount in half), or bouillon cubes (use 1-2) instead of the homemade bouillon, but we highly recommend trying it our way first. That homemade bouillon is a game changer (with the 5-star reviews to back it up!).
- Don’t skip rinsing your split peas! Along with removing any dirt and debris, it helps them cook evenly and improves the final texture.
Best Spices for Split Pea Soup
We season this soup with just a few key spices: dried thyme, white pepper, fresh parsley, and our savory bouillon powder. Together, they create a cozy, well-rounded flavor that feels totally nostalgic and satisfying!
- Thyme brings depth, warmth, and an earthy quality.
- White pepper adds gentle warmth without overpowering the soup and making it spicy.
- Bouillon powder builds that nostalgic chicken-y base without needing expensive broth.
- Parsley thrown in at the end to add a little lift and brightness to the final product!
Want to go deeper on how to season soups like this? Check out T’s full guide on How to Season Vegetable Soup.
How to Make Vegan Split Pea Soup
Making this crockpot vegan split pea soup is laughably easy:
- Rinse your split peas and add them to the slow cooker along with water, diced carrots, onion, garlic, bouillon, thyme, and white pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4. In the last hour of cooking, stir in your browned seitan ham if using.
- When it’s done, stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and black pepper. If it’s thicker than you’d like, just stir in a splash of water. Then taste and adjust seasonings again.
- Serve with our air fryer croutons for the full nostalgic diner experience!
And yes, you can totally take a minute to just inhale that aroma and feel wrapped in a memory. I know I do!
Split Pea Vegan Soup Variations
This soup recipe is a great base for all sorts of variations, so you can recreate your own split pea soup memories. Here are just a few ideas:
Vegan Split Pea Soup with Barley – Add ¼ cup pearled barley and about ½ cup extra water to the slow cooker at the beginning. It adds body and chew!
Vegan Split Pea Soup with Sweet Potato – Dice and toss in 1 peeled small sweet potato, and add about ½ – 1 cup more water.
Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup – While we haven’t tested it ourselves, most Instant Pot versions cook at high pressure for 15 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. If adding the seitan ham, you can even use the sauté function to brown it before adding the soup ingredients. Less dishes for the win!
Vegan Split Pea Soup with Coconut Milk – Add 1 (13.5 oz) can of unsweetened and full-fat coconut milk to the slow cooker at the start for a richer, creamier version.
Vegan Split Pea Soup with Potatoes – Add 1 peeled, diced potato with the rest of the ingredients + an extra ½ cup water.
How to Store and Reheat
This easy vegan split pea soup is a meal prep dream:
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Wait for it to cool before transferring to the fridge.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in single-serving portions. Wait for it to cool before transferring to the freezer. If freezing in glass, make sure you leave a couple inches in the jar for expansion.
- Reheat: Add a splash of water and warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. It will thicken in the fridge, but loosens up beautifully when reheated!
FAQs
We love using thyme and parsley. Thyme brings earthy flavor and parsley adds brightness at the end.
White pepper, dried thyme, and our homemade vegan bouillon are our go-to for seasoning split pea soup. You can also add a pinch of smoked paprika or turmeric for a flavor twist.
Split peas are field peas that are dried, peeled, and split in half for quicker cooking. They’re packed with plant-based protein and fiber and become naturally creamy when cooked. That’s why this recipe needs no cream to be creamy!
Traditional split pea soup usually isn’t vegan. It’s often made with ham and/or chicken broth. But this recipe is 100% vegan and just as satisfying.
Absolutely. Just leave it out! It still has amazing flavor thanks to the bouillon, veggies, and spices.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
And if you are serious about your soup obsession, check out our full list of over 20 vegan soup recipes!
We really hope this old fashioned split pea soup brings you the same cozy feelings it brings us, maybe even unlocks a memory or two from your own childhood!
If you try it, we’d love you to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and review! We LOVE hearing from you, and these reviews help more people discover our recipes.
And hey, if this soup brought up a warm memory for you too…we’d be honored to hear about it!
Split Pea Vegan Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried split peas
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp vegan bouillon powder
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup diced seitan ham browned*
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse peas and drain well.
- Add the rinsed and drained peas, water, carrots, onion, garlic, bouillon, white pepper, and thyme to a 3.5-qt slow cooker.
- Stir, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. When you have 1 hour left, stir in the browned seitan ham.
- When done, stir in chopped parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. If too thick for your taste, feel free to stir in up to 1 cup extra water. If you do add extra water, be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings after it’s added.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. The soup will thicken considerably when chilled, so feel free to whisk in up to ½ cup of water when reheating.
