Scandinavian Split Pea Soup

Salut! Split pea soup is a comforting staple of Scandinavian cuisine, known for being both nutritious and delicious. It’s sure to warm you from the inside out! While working on my 7-Day Scandinavian Meal Plan, I knew I wanted to include a traditional soup, and this vegetarian version felt like the perfect fit. Packed with 7 grams of fiber per serving, it’s a healthy twist on a classic. The inspiration for this recipe came after I made a flavorful lentil soup from Tasting Paris by Clotilde Dusoulier. I knew it would be just right adapted into a split pea soup. Infused with Scandinavian herbs and spices like thyme, fennel, clove, and a touch of smoked paprika, this cozy dish is perfect for a cool autumn evening or any meatless Monday.

This is such a simple soup to put together. To make it vegetarian I substituted mushrooms for the traditional ham. Also, adding smoked paprika gives it that umami flavor. Cloves add a warming spice that complements the peas and really makes the flavor extra. Make sure to soak the split peas a day before, it shortens the cooking time by half. Add some (unflavored) protein powder and this meal would fit perfectly into a high protein and fiber meal plan. Serve this Scandinavian Split Pea Soup with fresh rye bread and butter on the side for a truly satisfying, hygge meal.

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5 from 1 vote

Scandinavian Split Pea Soup

Hearty, healthy and delicious, this vegetarian split pea soup is so satisfying. Scandinavian inspired flavors like thyme, fennel and clove make it perfect for a cool autumn evening, or meatless Monday meal. The only thing you need to add to this protein filled plant-based meal is fresh Rye bread.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: dinner, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: scandinavian

Keyword: autumn, healthy, hearty, soup

Servings: 4

Calories: 150kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup split peas
• 1 tsp baking soda
• olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 carrot diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 4 cremini mushrooms quartered
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• sea salt
• 3 cups vegetable broth or 2 ½ cups + ½ cup dry vermouth -fancy
• fresh parsley for serving
• sour cream or Greek yogurt for serving

Instructions

• The day before making, soak split peas in enough water to cover by 1 inch, mixed with baking soda.
• When ready to cook, to a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat add olive oil. .Add the onion, carrot, celery, fennel, mushrooms and salt to the pot and cook, stirring regularly, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Drain and rinse peas, add to the pot with thyme, clove and smoked paprika. Add broth, cover and simmer approximately 40 minutes or until peas are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want a creamier soup, use an immersion blender at this point.
• Ladle into bowls, top with a dollop of cream or yogurt if desired, black pepper and parsley. I topped mine with chopped carrot greens 🥕 Enjoy the hygge.

Notes

Calories:  150     Protein:  6 g     Carbs:  18 g     Fat: 6 g     Fiber:  7 g