Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is every bit as delicious, wholesome, and nostalgic as the soup your mom made. This is a pantry staple recipe with a few fresh root vegetables. Not looking for vegetarian soup? Add bacon or ham to your soup or serve them both on the side!
In a stock pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.
Add the split peas and turmeric, stir into the vegetable mixture, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and water, along with the salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the split peas from settling to the bottom of the pot.
Add the potatoes and stir to combine. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
Stir the soup and check the liquid level. At this point, the potatoes should be starting to soften, and the peas should be nearly dissolved. Add one cup of water if the peas are not nearly dissolved.
Cover and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness again. Add another cup of water if needed. If not, cover and continue to cook until the potatoes are fork tender.
Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the lid and turn off the heat. Stir the soup well, and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.