Curried Split Pea Soup

A gorgeous soup that looks and tastes amazing ... and it's vegan!

This soup has been on my mind ever since I saw it on Sprouted Kitchen a few weeks ago. It's not an ordinary split pea soup by any means. The curry spices, coconut milk, and orange juice add a ton of exotic flavor, sweetness, and creaminess. A roasted sweet potato helps to naturally thicken the soup and add body, which is a trick that I can't wait to try with other soup recipes in the future. It's the perfect healthy recipe for the cleanse this week (and it also happens to be vegan), because it's rich and satisfying and will keep you full for a long time. I leave the soup a bit chunky and garnish with sesame seeds and microgreens for some extra texture that stops me from craving a piece of crusty bread to go with it. However, if you're not on a diet, bread and soup are always a good pairing.


Related Recipes:
- Curry Coconut Lentil Soup
- Winter Vegetable Minestrone
- Broccoli, Lemon, & Parmesan Soup


Curried Split Pea Soup:
Ingredients
- 6 c. low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 c. split peas
- 1 c. light coconut milk, plus more to garnish
- 3/4 c. cooked, peeled sweet potato (bake in a 400F oven for 40 minutes, or until tender)
- 1/3 c. fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1" thumb of ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- pinch of cayenne
- microgreens, black sesame seeds, cilantro (for garnish)

Recipe

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.
• Add in the onion, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until soft.
• Stir in the curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for another minute.
• Add in the split peas and broth, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover with a lid.
• Cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the split peas are very soft.
• Let cool slightly, then use a blender or food processor to carefully puree until mostly smooth.
• Return the soup to pot and stir in the coconut milk, orange juice, and cayenne. Taste for seasoning.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a splash more coconut milk, sesame, cilantro, and microgreens.

Serves four-six