Yellow Split Pea Soup with Lemon Zest

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-10 · Updated 2026-04-10

A vibrant, protein-packed soup with earthy split peas and bright citrus notes, perfect for a nourishing lunch. This soup recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs yellow split peas, vegetable broth, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 250 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow split peas
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 2 medium, diced carrot
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1, zest and 2 tbsp juice lemon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium onion, 2 diced medium carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in 1 cup yellow split peas, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes until peas are tender.
3. Step 3: Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or transfer to a blender in batches. Return to pot and stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp lemon zest. Heat gently for 2 minutes without boiling, then serve.