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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    February 17, 2021 51 Comments

    Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup with Smoky Tofu Ham!

    1.9K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This easy vegan split pea soup recipe is hearty, flavor-packed, warming, and lick the bowl scrumptious! There is a reason this classic soup recipe is a staple for many: it's easy to make, it uses inexpensive ingredients, and oh my is it ever delicious.

    Traditionally split pea soup is made with ham making it not vegan at all, but in my recipe, I coat small cubes of tofu in liquid smoke before baking it, which results in chewy smoky blissful tofu bites. Seriously, you may have to stop yourself from eating all the tofu straight from the pan!

    Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup with Smoky Tofu Ham! Hearty, flavor-packed, warming, and lick the bowl scrumptious! There is a reason this classic soup recipe is a staple for many: it's easy to make, it uses inexpensive ingredients, and oh my is it ever delicious. The perfect make-ahead meal. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #soup

    Vegan split pea soup does require several ingredients and about an hour to make, but every ingredient I use is easy to find at your local grocery store, and every step is very simple. Most of the time is spent letting the soup simmer and the tofu bake. So it's actually a very easy meal to prepare, my kinda recipe.

    Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup with Smoky Tofu Ham! Hearty, flavor-packed, warming, and lick the bowl scrumptious! There is a reason this classic soup recipe is a staple for many: it's easy to make, it uses inexpensive ingredients, and oh my is it ever delicious. The perfect make-ahead meal. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #soup

    I'm in love with how flavourful but also how healthy this soup is! Vegan split pea soup has become a regular for me during the chillier months. This soup is also the perfect make-ahead meal. It stores well in the fridge and can even be frozen. While you can stir the tofu into the soup, the tofu won't stay as chewy so I like to store the prepared tofu and the prepared soup seperately.

    How to make Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup with Tofu Ham:

    Toss the tofu with liquid smoke, soy sauce, and garlic powder.

    I like to make the tofu ham first, because the tofu will get chewier the longer it sits out... and I LOVE chewy 🙂

    To make the tofu ham: Mix the soy sauce, liquid smoke, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add the tofu and toss well to coat.

    Bake the tofu until golden and chewy.

    Spread the tofu on the baking sheet and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, stopping to stir a few times, until the tofu is golden brown and chewy. The tofu will get chewier as it sits out.

    Sauté the vegetables.

    Next, make the split pea soup:
    In the meantime, melt the vegan butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown.

    Add the broth, split peas, and all the remaining ingredients.

    Add the vegetable broth, split peas, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper.

    Cook until the soup is thickened.

    Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 -45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the split peas are cooked through and the soup has reached your desired thickness and mushiness. If your soup is too thin, simply cook it longer until it reaches desired thickness. If your soup gets too thick, add a splash more vegetable broth or water to thin it out. Serve the soup hot with a handful of prepared tofu ham on top, and an optional sprinkle of fresh parsley.

    Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup with Smoky Tofu Ham! Hearty, flavor-packed, warming, and lick the bowl scrumptious! There is a reason this classic soup recipe is a staple for many: it's easy to make, it uses inexpensive ingredients, and oh my is it ever delicious. The perfect make-ahead meal. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #soup

    Vegan split pea soup is the perfect make-ahead meal. It get's even better tasting the longer it hangs around, and the tofu bites get even chewier the longer they sit around. I like to serve this as a main with a slice of garlic bread.

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    4.95 from 19 votes

    Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup with Smoky Tofu Ham

    Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup with Smoky Tofu Ham! bowl scrumptious! There is a reason this classic soup recipe is a staple for many: it's easy to make, it uses inexpensive ingredients, and oh my is it ever delicious. The perfect make-ahead meal.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American, Canadian
    ingredient tag: tofu
    Servings: 6 - 8
    Calories: 380kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the tofu ham:

    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free if preffered)
    • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 block (12oz) extra-firm tofu, chopped into small cubes

    For the vegan split pea soup:

    • 2 tablespoons vegan butter (sub oil of choice if preferred)
    • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
    • 2 ribs celery, chopped
    • 1 yellow onion, chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
    • 8 cups vegetable broth
    • 2 cups (1 pound) dried green split peas, rinsed
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
    • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 handful parsley, roughtly chopped (optional for garnish)
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    Instructions

    To make the tofu ham:

    • OVEN: Preheat your oven to 325F (170C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
      AIR FRYER: Preheat your air fryer to 305F (160C).
    • Mix the soy sauce, liquid smoke, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add the tofu and toss well to coat.
      OVEN: Spread the tofu on the baking sheet and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, stopping to stir a few times, until the tofu is golden brown and chewy. The tofu will get chewier as it sits out.
      AIR FRYER: spread the tofu in the air fryer and fry for 20 - 28 minutes, stopping to shake a few times, until the tofu is golden brown and chewy. The tofu will get chewier as it sits out.

    To make the split pea soup:

    • In the meantime, melt the vegan butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown.
    • Add the vegetable broth, split peas, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 -45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the split peas are cooked through and the soup has reached your desired thickness and mushiness. If your soup is too thin, simply cook it longer until it reaches desired thickness. If your soup gets too thick, add a splash more vegetable broth or water to thin it out. Serve the soup hot with a handful of prepared tofu ham on top, and an optional sprinkle of fresh parsley.

    Notes

    Oil-free: To make split pea soup oil-free, simply omit the vegan butter and instead do a water or broth sauté.
    Make-ahead: allow prepared split pea soup and tofu to cool before storing separately in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 6 servings) | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1854mg | Potassium: 903mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4472IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 5mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tracy says

      December 30, 2022 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      Super yummy and great for these chilly nights. This is part of winter dinner rotation.

      Reply
      • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

        January 02, 2023 at 4:25 pm

        We're so happy you like this soup!

        Reply
    2. Jennifer says

      November 26, 2022 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      I just love pea soup, and since becoming vegan this spring hadn’t eaten any because I was unsure how to substitute the ham. I’m so grateful I found your recipe!! We’ve tried several of your recipes and they are delicious and simple, which I love.
      I bought both of your cookbooks, and ordered another copy of each for my daughter this year at Christmas!! She’s been struggling to find simple and healthy vegan recipes that don’t require bizarre and expensive ingredients…Voilà! Your cookbooks to the rescue!! Thanks so much!!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 03, 2022 at 1:12 pm

        Aww amazing. Thank you for your support!! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Christiane says

      October 21, 2022 at 12:21 am

      5 stars
      So good! Very comforting on a cool evening.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 21, 2022 at 6:44 pm

        So happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
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