Split peas are the black sheep of the legume world. They are the last dried bean that most folks reach for, but we’re hoping to change that! Split peas are easy to cook, packed full of nutrients, and they taste absolutely amazing!
A great place to start on your split pea journey is with this simple summer salad. Tender, hearty split peas are combined with fresh herbs and homegrown summer veggies. Because split peas cook so quickly, this entire vegan legume salad can be ready in less than half an hour. It’s a great dish to make for meal prep!
Table of Contents
What do I need to make this split pea salad?
You’ll want to make this salad in the summer when you can get your hands on the freshest herbs and veggies. Here’s what you’ll need for this split pea salad:
Dried split peas—These will probably be with the dried beans at your grocery store.
Vegetable broth
Cherry tomatoes
Frozen corn or fresh corn sliced off the cob
Fresh parsley, basil, oregano, and chives—We give you a suggestion for how much to use of each, but feel free to mix and match based on what you have.
Lemon—If you’re really in a pinch, you can use bottled lemon juice. But I recommend using a fresh lemon, so you can use the zest too!
Olive oil
Dijon mustard
Garlic powder
Maple syrup—Yep, maple syrup! It will add just a touch of sweetness to the dressing.
Salt and pepper
Wholefully Protip
If you aren’t vegetarian, you can also use chicken bone broth in this recipe.
Unlike most other dried legumes, split peas don’t need to be soaked ahead of time. Some people experience digestive problems with all beans and lentils, though—if that’s you, soaking overnight may help!
Wholefully Protip
Split peas will cook just fine without being presoaked!
Can I use lentils instead of split peas?
You can! This salad works just as well with green lentils as it does with split peas. I don’t recommend using red lentils though—they will get too mushy for a salad.
What should I serve with summer split pea salad?
My favorite way to serve split pea salad is as a side for grilled fish or chicken. But if you’d like to keep things vegetarian (or vegan!), you can also mix it with a cooked grain like brown rice or quinoa.
What’s the dressing on this salad?
This salad uses a simple lemon vinaigrette that is easy to make and is super versatile! It’s also wonderful as a marinade and a salad dressing.
Can I freeze this salad?
I wish I could say yes, because something so fresh and summery would be welcome in the winter! Unfortunately, the tomatoes and fresh herbs won’t make it through the freezer and retain their texture. I recommend eating this salad fresh.
Wholefully Protip
This split pea salad doesn’t freeze well. Eat it within a week of making it!
Can I meal prep this split pea salad?
Absolutely! In fact, this recipe just gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. Make it in advance for your next potluck, or prep it on the weekend to eat all week long.
What else can I do with split peas?
Chickpeas and black beans may get all the love, but split peas are such a great, affordable ingredient! They are great in all kinds of recipes, like these fan favorites:
Vegan Split Pea Curry
Split Pea Hummus
Split Pea Soup with Ham
Summer Split Pea Salad Recipe (Vegan)
Yield: 2 main dish servings, 4 side dish
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
This flavorful and refreshing vegan Summer Split Pea Salad is the perfect recipe to round out summer. Serve it as a light dinner or side dish.
Ingredients
2/3 cup dried green split peas
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (or 2 medium tomatoes, diced)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
2 tablespoons fresh minced basil
2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano
2 tablespoons fresh minced chives
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Combine the split peas and broth in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the split peas are tender, but not mushy and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Combine the cooked split peas in a large bowl with the tomatoes, corn, parsley, basil, oregano, and chives. Toss well to combine.
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon juice and zest, olive oil, dijon, syrup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Close and shake well to combine.
Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
No.Split peas, like lentils, do not need to be soaked before cooking. Beans require soaking prior to cooking, but because these are peas they can be used directly in the recipe. It is still a good idea to rinse your peas thoroughly before cooking to remove any dirt particles.
Split peas are just normal peas that are dried and split to speed up the cooking process! Split peas are a type of legume and can be eaten as a vegetable or protein. They can be either green or yellow. Green split peas have a slightly sweet flavor and yellow peas are more mild.
Whether you soak or not, split peas should be rinsed, simply to remove dust or dirt. You can also soak them in water to pick them over for stones, but the chances of finding one are slim.
If your split peas are hard after this length of cooking time, there is something wrong with the peas or with your water. If the peas are very old and dried out, they won't soften. And if the water you use for making the soup is hard with lots of dissolved minerals that can stop the peas from softening.
Split peas and lentils tend to get overcooked. Once I figured out that they don't need to reach the State of Horrifyingly Mushy, my legume cookery horizons expanded dramatically. Actually, I find it pretty amazing that more people don't cook with dried peas and lentils.
Bring about 1.5 cups of water or broth to a boil for every cup of lentils or split peas. Add the lentils, allow water to return to boiling, reduce heat, partially cover pan, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the variety.
The question is, "How long a soak is too long?" It is possible to soak beans for too long before cooking. Beans should soak for 8 to 10 hours overnight. If they are soaked for longer than 12 hours, they can lose their familiar flavor and become overly mushy.
Foods rich in complex carbohydrates like split peas provide the body with sustained energy levels. Peas, lentils, and other legumes are all examples of complex carbohydrates, which tend to be rich sources of energy-boosting starch. Split peas are considered a low-glycemic food with a glycemic load of about 10.
In terms of nutrition, they're both high in fiber and protein, with lentils having a slightly higher amount of iron. They also share an earthy, nutty flavor, although lentils lean a little richer, and split peas are creamier when cooked.
Split green peas are less starchy and have a sweeter flavor than yellow split peas. The yellow peas have an earthy, nutty flavor. They are milder and more subtle than green split peas. Yellow split peas are the best variety to use when you don't want an intense pea flavor in whatever you are cooking.
If your split peas don't get soft, it's more likely they are old or were stored in a container that wasn't airtight. Even though they keep for quite a while, dried beans don't keep forever.
Properly stored, dried split peas will generally stay at best quality for about 2 to 3 years at normal room temperature, although they will usually remain safe to use after that. To maximize the shelf life of dried split peas, keep the package tightly closed at all times.
Place in a large bowl and cover with plenty of warm water (the peas will expand a lot as they soak). Stir in 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and leave to soak for at least 3 hours (can be left overnight). When ready to cook, drain and rinse one more time in a sieve under running water.
The recommended soaking time for dried split peas is typically between 4 to 8 hours, or overnight. This helps to soften them before cooking and can reduce their cooking time.
They don't have to be pre-soaked, but I prefer to do so for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it significantly reduces the cooking time, which is good for saving energy. And secondly, I personally find that soaking split peas helps with digestion.
If your split peas don't get soft, it's more likely they are old or were stored in a container that wasn't airtight. Even though they keep for quite a while, dried beans don't keep forever.
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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