This Vegan Split Pea and Barley Soup might be the coziest thing you’ll eat all season. It’s hearty, healthy, and the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out—perfect for chilly nights or when you just need a big bowl of comfort.

This split pea and barley soup with butternut squash is delicious. Packed with tender split peas, chewy barley, and sweet butternut squash, this soup is also nourishing and satisfying.
And hey, if you’re still unconvinced, maybe you need a backup plan—like my Vegan White Lasagna Soup for when you’re craving something familiar or my Vegan Kale Potato and Leek Soup for a silky-smooth comfort food fix. But trust me—start with this split pea and barley soup. It might just win a spot in your regular soup rotation!
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Why You'll Love This Soup
- Both split peas and barley are excellent plant-based protein sources.
- This soup is high in fiber, making it great for digestion and offering a feeling of fullness. For another fiber-packed recipe, try my Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad.
- The nature of split peas, when cooked down, creates a creamy texture, making the soup feel indulgent without using dairy.
- The butternut squash and barley add a satisfying chew, offering a multifaceted texture that makes every bite interesting.
- This soup stores beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or freezer meals. If you’re a fan of make-ahead meals, you might also enjoy my Healthy Red Lentil Soup.
Ingredients

- Carrots: Frozen or fresh works well. Just chop them small.
- Garlic cloves: Three garlic cloves equal ¾ teaspoons of dried garlic powder or about a tablespoon of minced garlic. I also like to use a couple of frozen garlic cubes when I'm not in the mood to chop.
- Butternut squash: Sweet potatoes are also delicious in this recipe. You can substitute with gold or russet potatoes, too - it just won't have that bit of sweetness that pairs well with the barley and split peas. I buy the precut or frozen butternut to save time.
- Barley: I use regular dried barley. If you want to use quick-cooking barley, you will want to add it towards the end of the cooking process to let the other flavors develop and prevent the barley from becoming too soft.
- Vegetable broth - If you follow my recipes, you know I'm a fan of the vegetable base paste. A spoonful of this paste works wonders, just like it does in Lebanese-Inspired Vegan Fasolia.
Find the complete recipe with exact measurements in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Vegan Split Pea Soup
Here is the process in pictures. See the recipe card for more details.

Step 1: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Sauté onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until soft (5-7 mins).

Step 2: Add butternut squash and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Step 3: Stir in thyme, cumin, and oregano and sauté.

Step 4: Add drained split peas, barley, broth, and a bay leaf. Mix.

Step 5: Bring to a boil, then simmer on low, covered, for ~60 mins or until tender. Stir occasionally.

Step 6: Remove bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Adjust as needed.

Step 7: Use an immersion blender for the desired soup texture.

Step 8: Top with chives or scallions and serve with crusty bread or croutons.
Top Tips
- Don't forget to prep the split peas by sorting, rinsing, and soaking for 20 minutes while prepping other ingredients.
- If you use butternut squash, save yourself a lot of time and buy it pre-chopped in the refrigerated vegetable section of your store.
- Add your favorite vegetables to this soup recipe. You can use whatever you have on hand, such as a variety of potatoes (gold, Idaho, cubed pumpkin, sweet potato), zucchini, spinach, or kale.
- For a creamier soup, I use an immersion blender to puree some or all of the split peas and barley before serving. Remember to remove the bay leaf first - I’ve accidentally blended them more times than I’d like to admit.
- This soup will thicken in the refrigerator. It is much thicker the next day and still delicious. Add some veggie broth before heating to loosen it up.
Why Aren't The Split Peas Softening?
If you've been simmering your split peas for a while and they're still not softening, there could be a number of reasons why this is happening. Here are some common factors:
- Old Peas: Older split peas lose moisture and may take longer to soften—or never soften at all.
- Cooking Temperature: High heat can seal the peas’ outer skin, preventing water absorption. A low, steady simmer works best.
- Competing Ingredients: Extra veggies or potatoes can absorb water, leaving peas dry. Add more broth if needed.
- Stirring: Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking and prevent some peas from staying hard.
- High Altitude: At higher altitudes, water boils at lower temperatures, so peas may need extra time to soften

Serving Suggestions
- Serve with a slice of crusty bread or a dinner roll for dipping in the soup.
- Add vegan bacon bits, Air Fryer Croutons, chopped fresh herbs like chives and fresh squeeze of lemon juice for a fresh flavor.
- Pair with a fresh green salad like this Arugula and Pear Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette for a delicious seasonal meal.
- Add a dollop of vegan sour cream or yogurt on top of the split pea soup for a tangy and creamy contrast.
Split Pea Soup FAQS
Yes - for the slow cooker, follow the same steps as the stovetop version, but cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. For the pressure cooker, saute the aromatics first, then place the rest of the ingredients and seal the pressure cooker. Cook for 20 minutes and let it naturally release for 20 minutes.
Store split pea and barley soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months, adding a splash of water or broth when reheating if it thickens.
Not only is this soup delicious and nutritious, it is also incredibly versatile. You can easily add vegetables like kale or swap out the seasonings for something different. You can also adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking, adding more or less broth as needed.
Barley contains gluten, but you could easily swap it for a gluten-free grain like quinoa or rice to cater to people with dietary restrictions.
Got a minute? I'd love for you to dive into the comments and rate this Vegan Split Pea and Barley Soup. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.

Vegan Split Pea and Barley Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Split Pea and Barley Soup might just be the coziest thing you’ll eat all season. It’s hearty, healthy, and the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out—perfect for chilly nights or when you just need a big bowl of comfort.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (large white or yellow)
- 3 carrots (chopped)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (or 1 ½ tbsp minced)
- 2 cups butternut squash (cubed; optional sweet potato, Yukon golden, russet potato)
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup dried green split peas (rinsed and drained)
- ½ cup barley
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf (large)
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the Split Peas: Sort, rinse, and soak the split peas for about 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Sauté: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Then add the butternut squash and saute for another 5 minutes. Finally, add the thyme, cumin, oregano and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Boil and Simmer: Add the split peas, barley, broth, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for ~60 minutes or until the split peas and barley are tender. Stir it occasionally, making sure it does not stick to the bottom.
- Discard: Remove the bay leaf and discard it.
- Season: Add the salt and pepper to taste. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Blend: Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup or all the soup until you reach your desired consistency. Alternatively, use a blender.
- Serve: Serve the soup with a piece of crusty bread, croutons, or on its own. See other serving suggestions in the post.
Equipment
Notes
If the soup is too thick, add more veggie broth or water; stir and decide if more is needed. Remember that the soup will thicken further as it cools.
This soup will thicken in the refrigerator overnight. Add a little veggie broth before reheating if you want to thin it out the next day.
Sautéing the onions with veggie broth is a great option if you are trying to reduce calories or go oil-free.
Substitute butternut squash with pumpkin, sweet potato, Idaho, or gold potatoes.
If the split peas are not softening after 60 minutes, check the post for possible reasons. I've had to leave them for a lot longer sometimes.
Nutritional information is only an estimate.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: main course, soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 201
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 1166
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 8
Anonymous says
An exceptional soup!