
I am not the biggest fan of soup (that would be my husband) but this time of year something comes over me and it seems like all I can think about! I mean what’s not to like!? Soup is a quick, hot meal and is a great way to get more veggies into your diet.
Britta writes……….. There’s nothing better at chasing away the chill when the weather turns cold than a big bowl of warm, hearty soup, don’t you think? In addition to being the ultimate comfort meal, soup is also a great option when cooking for a crowd, because it’s easy to make a lot! This smoky split pea soup, in particular, is just the ticket if you’re cooking for a crowd with dietary restrictions because it is naturally gluten-free (and vegan too!)
But don’t you worry – just because this soup is packed with healthy veggies, that does NOT mean that it skimps on flavor or heartiness! My husband Neil is a split pea soup fanatic and he loved this soup! My brother Erik loved it too, and mentioned his surprise at how filling a meatless soup could be. If these tough critics gave this soup such rave reviews, I’m sure your friends and family will love it too! :-)

Smoky Split Pea Soup
adapted from vegetariantimes.com
- 1 cup green split peas*
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle pepper packed in adobo, chopped
- 3 cups sweet potato, diced
- 3 cups onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 4 tsp garlic, minced
- 6 cups water
- 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
*The recipe stated to soak the peas overnight before making the soup, but the bag of peas I used said they didn’t need to be soaked, so I skipped this step. The peas ended up having a bit of texture to them when the soup was done, which I enjoyed. But if you prefer softer peas, I would make sure to soak them for a least a few hours beforehand.
Begin by chopping up one chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce. Also dice 1 large sweet potato, 2 medium onions, 3 ribs of celery, and mincing 4 cloves of garlic. Set these aside for now.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add the paprika and the chopped chipotle to the pot and stir for a minute or so.

Then add the sweet potato, onions, and celery, and season them with some salt and pepper. Cover the pot and let the veggies cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Remove the cover, add the minced garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes.

Add your drained or dry split peas to the pot, along with 6 cups of water. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 1 hour.

Then add the can of diced tomatoes, stir, and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow the soup to cook for an additional 30 minutes or so, until the peas are as soft as you like.


Jillee writes…….. If you’re thinking your family won’t ever be able to finish such a big pot of soup….never fear….you can FREEZE the leftovers and always have a hearty meal ready to go!
Never put hot food directly into the freezer; you’ll raise the temperature of the freezer and endanger the safety of the food in it.
Remove pot from the heat, let the soup sit for 20-30 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally to release more heat from the soup, and when the soup has reached room temperature, it’s ready to be packed.
Ladle soup into zippered plastic bags and lay them flat in a single layer in the freezer; when frozen, stack bags to save space.
To use: thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Leftover soup will last up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer.
What is your favorite fall soup?

Not Your Grandmother’s Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup green split peas*
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle pepper packed in adobo chopped
- 3 cups sweet potato diced
- 3 cups onion diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 4 tsp garlic minced
- 6 cups water
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by chopping up one chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce. Also dice 1 large sweet potato, 2 medium onions, 3 ribs of celery, and mincing 4 cloves of garlic. Set these aside for now.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add the paprika and the chopped chipotle to the pot and stir for a minute or so.
- Then add the sweet potato, onions, and celery, and season them with some salt and pepper. Cover the pot and let the veggies cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Remove the cover, add the minced garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes.
- Add your drained or dry split peas to the pot, along with 6 cups of water. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 1 hour.
- Then add the can of diced tomatoes, stir, and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow the soup to cook for an additional 30 minutes or so, until the peas are as soft as you like.