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Two bowls of split pea soup next to a spoon and napkin.

Easy Vegetarian Split Pea Soup with Barley

A soul-warming and delicious vegetarian split pea soup featuring smoked paprika and hearty pearl barley.
5 from 2 votes
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Course: soups and stews
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian
Keyword: barley soup, easy pea soup, split pea soup recipe, vegan soup recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 316kcal
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
  • 1 large onion diced small
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced small
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for serving
  • 1 ½ cups yellow split peas picked over and rinsed
  • ½ cup pearl barley
  • 4 cups vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 cups water
  • Pinch of baking soda
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, smoked paprika and rosemary and cook for an additional minute.
  • Add split peas, barley, broth, water, baking soda, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon coarse salt to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook until peas are very soft and the barley is pleasantly tender and chewy, about 35-45 minutes.
  • Add soy sauce, lemon juice and parsley and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Notes

The only way to know if the split peas and barley are done to your liking is to TASTE THE SOUP. Don't just go by the time ranges set forth in the recipe. I have purchased bags of split peas that cook in just 25-30 minutes, and others that have taken as long as 50! While these extremes certainly aren't the norm, it bears mentioning that the only way to know FOR SURE that your split peas are soft and tender and your barley is perfectly toothsome is to go ahead and give it a try. The same rule goes for adding/not adding salt, pepper or additional lemon juice, by the way. TASTE TASTE TASTE until it's just the way you like it.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 797mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3831IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg