This one will blow your mind! A whole food plant-based recipe that ALWAYS gets rave reviews, even from people who aren't fans of split pea soup. It's super easy in your Instant Pot, but also simple on the stove top (recipe and instructions for both methods below).
The "wow" factor of this soup is 10 out of 10, featuring Thai-inspired ingredients like green curry, ginger, coconut, and cilantro. The combination is a surprisingly delicious complement to the split peas, moong dal, and brown rice, which also create wonderful texture (and offer a wealth of plant-based protein, too!).
This split pea soup is vegan, whole food plant-based with an oil-free option, gluten-free, and likely to become a new favorite you'll return to again and again!
👉 Get your copy of the Green Sage Quick Dinners Guide for a little collection of my favorite last-minute weeknight dinner ideas and guidance on how to make them at a moment's notice: www.greensagelife.com/quick-d...
👉 Shopping for an Instant Pot? Start here: amzn.to/49OLrX3 (This is an affiliate link, which means I'll earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you. It does help support the channel, so thank you in advance!)
Thai Curried Split Pea Soup in the Instant Pot (stovetop instructions below)
Yields 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup green split peas, sorted and rinsed
- 1/2 cup moong dal (split mung beans), or more split peas, rinsed
- 1/2 cup short grain brown rice, rinsed
- 2 shallots, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
- 1/3 cup unsweetened dried coconut
- 2 Tbsp Thai green curry paste
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 4.5 cups water, divided
- 1-2 tsp olive oil (optional), or a few Tbsp of vegetable broth
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instant Pot Instructions
- Rinse and drain your split peas, moong dal, and brown rice.
- Dice the shallot, and mince the garlic and ginger.
- In a blender, combine the cilantro leaves, minced ginger, shredded coconut, 2 Tbsp Thai green curry paste, and 1.5 cups of water. Blend until smooth.
- Heat the olive oil (if using) or a few Tbsp of vegetable broth in your Instant Pot on the sauté function.
- Add the shallot and garlic. Sprinkle with salt, then stir until browning.
- Add the (remaining) vegetable broth, the split peas, moong dal, brown rice, blended ingredients, the remaining 3 cups of water, salt, and black pepper.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot. Make sure the valve is set to "Sealing." Hit "Cancel" to turn off the "Sauté" function, and then press "Manual" (this is labeled "Pressure Cook" on some Instant Pot models). Press + or - until the digital display reads 20. Your pot will either begin automatically within a few seconds, or you may have to press Start, depending on your model.
- The Instant Pot will take some time to come to pressure, it'll hold the pressure and cook the soup for 20 minutes, and then it will take more time to come back down to ambient pressure. You can either wait for the machine to return to normal room pressure, or if you want to eat right away, you can release the steam by sliding the valve left or right. Steam will rush out of the top of the machine. Then you can open the lid.
- Ladle the soup into a bowl. Serve with a slice of your favorite sourdough, toasted whole wheat pita, or a side of roasted potatoes. Enjoy!
*Note: Leftovers keep well in the fridge, and freeze and reheat easily too, so feel free to batch prep this one! 😀
Stovetop Instructions
After you've prepped the ingredients and blended the cilantro mixture, do the following:
1.In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil (or a few Tbsp vegetable broth if you're doing oil-free).
2. Add the shallots and garlic, sprinkle with salt, then sauté for about 2-3 minutes, or until the shallots begin to soften and brown.
3. Add the vegetable broth, blended ingredients, and water to the pot.
4. Add the split peas, moong dal, and brown rice, as well as the salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil, and boil rapidly for about 5 minutes. Then, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer, cooking the soup for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the split peas are cooked. (Time may vary depending on the age of your split peas and how long you soaked them in advance. The older they are, the longer they take to cook, and pre-soaking shortens the cooking time.)
6. Taste the soup (carefully) and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Serve and enjoy!