Instant Pot Moroccan Split Pea Soup + Tutorial {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup is hearty, satisfying and full of bold Moroccan flavours. This Instant Pot soup recipe is vegan-friendly, gluten-free and thanks to the wonder that is the Instant Pot, it’s also super easy to make.
Freestyle Weight Watchers points included.
Folks, you know how much I loooooooooooove my Instant Pot. And I know I’m not alone in my Instant Pot obsession. I’m always dreaming up new things to cook using the little miracle machine, but it seems to me that turning out big glorious batches of delicious soup is when the Instant Pot truly shines.
Today I’m sharing with you my vegan-friendly, gluten-free Instant Pot Split Pea Soup recipe. This hearty, satisfying soup is just bursting with classic Moroccan spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon and paprika.
Even better is that this is a dump everything in and cook soup. Easy peasy cooking at its best.
When most people hear the words ‘split pea soup’, that classic green colour is what immediately comes to mind. But for this recipe, I decided to use yellow split peas.
Yellow and green split peas have a similar nutritional content, but green split peas tend to be a bit sweeter than the yellow variety, which is often described as having a milder flavour and more of an earthy quality.
This proved to be the perfect complement for the rich and vibrant Moroccan spices that I was craving.
And while the flavours in this Instant Pot Split Pea Soup are complex, making it is really quite simple. So simple, in fact, you’ll have it on the table in under 30 mins.
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup Tools
KITCHEN TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES NEEDED
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Here are some of the items you will need to make this recipe.
-
- 8 qt Instant Pot.
- I use and love the 8qt, my extra Instant Pot Insert & sealing ring.
- 3 qt Instant Pot or 6 qt Instant Pot depending on family size.
- Cutting board.
- Knife.
- Spatula.
- Measuring jugs or cups.
- Measuring teaspoons.
- Freezer bags.
- Flavourings**
- Try this spice kit for different flavours on your soup.
- Sea Salt Flakes <= amazing salt that makes your food taste good.
- Bowls with covers.
- Store leftover soup in these bowls.
- 8 qt Instant Pot.
Ready for me to show you just how quick and easy it really is? Then let’s get started…..
How to Make Instant Pot Split Pea Soup Step by Step
Step 1. Add all of the ingredients into the Instant Pot insert.
Step 2. Cover your Instant Pot, set the vent to ‘sealing’, select the soup button, select high pressure and set the timer to 12 mins (for peas with a little bite), or to 15 mins for softer peas.
Step 3. When done, allow the Instant Pot to undergo natural pressure release (NPR) for 5 mins.
Step 4. Switch off and open the lid.
Step 5. Stir and let it stand for a little while as the soup thickens.
Tips For Making Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup
- I used yellow split peas because they break down quickly when cooked and give the soup a rich velvety texture and beautiful colour.
- Try making it as a thicker purée (add less vegetable stock) and serving as a dip. This is popular in the Northern region of Morocco where they accompany it with Moroccan bread called khobz.
- You can easily make this with Indian flavours by swapping in spices like curry powder or garam masala.
- Top pressure cooker split pea soup with pickled vegetables, a dollop of coconut yoghurt (but use other yoghurt if not vegan), or homemade croutons.
Plus………….
- Adjust the time under pressure depending upon your desired consistency. If you like your split peas with a bite, set the timer to 12 mins. For softer peas, cook them for 15 mins.
- Not vegan? Try adding cooked bacon or ham to the final dish or add a leftover ham bone to the cooking process to infuse a delicious flavour into the soup.
- Instant Pot Split Pea Soup will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick, add in additional stock.
- You can freeze Instant Pot Split Pea Soup for easy meal prep. Freeze in individual portions or freeze all of it at once. You can use freezer-safe bags, plastic containers, etc.
How to Freeze Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Let the soup cool down then transfer into these very handy Ziploc freezer bags.
- Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
- Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
- Store the soup in the freezer for 3 months.
How to Thaw Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Remove the soup from the freezer the night before needed and let it thaw in the fridge.
- For a faster thaw, you can add the bagged soup into a microwave and thaw according to the microwave’s instructions.
- Transfer the thawed soup into a bowl and reheat in a microwave.
- Or transfer the thawed soup into a saucepan and reheat over low to medium heat.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
This flavourful Instant Pot soup recipe will go well with:
- Steamed Instant Pot Broccoli on the side for a super healthy meal
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Shredded chicken (if not vegan)
Do You Have to Soak Split Peas Before Cooking?
Since split peas cook relatively quickly, you do not need to soak them before cooking. Lentils are the same, making this pressure cooker soup recipe and my Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Mexican Flavours ideal for busy weeknights.
Are Split Peas Good For You?
Yes they are. Split peas are a fantastic plant-based source of protein. 150g (1 cup) of cooked split peas provide 16g of protein. They are also full of fibre, packing 16g in just 150g (1 cup).
Weight Watchers Points in This Instant Pot Soup Recipe
There are 0 Freestyle points in this Instant Pot soup recipe. Yeap, zero!!
More Soup Recipes
4o of the Best Instant Pot Soup Recipes.
Thank you for reading my pressure cooker split pea soup recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.
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Instant Pot Moroccan Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups (425g) split peas, picked through and rinsed
- 2 carrots chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 4 spring onions scallions, sliced
- 1 bell pepper deseeded and cut into big cubes
- 6 cups (1.5l) vegetable stock
- 14 oz (400g) finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients, up to the black pepper, into the Instant Pot insert.
- Cover your Instant Pot, set the vent to 'sealing’, select the soup button, select high pressure and set the timer to 12 mins (for peas with a little bite), or to 15 mins for softer peas.
- When done, allow the Instant Pot to undergo natural pressure release for 5 mins.
- Switch off and open the lid.
- Stir and let it stand for a little while as the soup thickens.
Notes
Tips For Making Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup
- Cook time does not include time to come up to pressure or for pressure to release.
- Try making it as a thicker purée (add less vegetable stock) and serving as a dip. This is popular in the Northern region of Morocco where they accompany it with Moroccan bread called khobz.
- You can easily make this with Indian flavours by swapping in spices like curry powder or garam masala.
- Top pressure cooker split pea soup with pickled vegetables, a dollop of unflavoured yoghurt (if not vegan), or homemade croutons.
- Adjust the time under pressure depending upon your desired consistency. If you like your split peas with a bite, set the timer to 12 mins. For softer peas, cook them for 15 mins.
- Not vegan? Try adding cooked bacon or ham to the final dish or add a leftover ham bone to the cooking process to infuse a delicious flavour into the soup.
- Instant Pot Split Pea Soup will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick, add in additional stock.
- You can freeze Instant Pot Split Pea Soup for easy meal prep. Freeze in individual portions or freeze all of it at once. You can use freezer-safe bags, plastic containers, etc.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Steamed Instant Pot Broccoli on the side for a super healthy meal
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Shredded chicken (if not vegan)
Excellent flavor! I did reduce the water/broth by about 1/2 cup since some people commented the soup was thin.
What kind of split should be used? Green split peas or yellow or does it not matter
it says 1 cup peas (425g) that doesnt add up, should it be 2 cups, 425g is like a tin of cooked peas mkes no sense
and 6 cups (2.5l) stock doesnt add up, 6 cups is more like 1.5l
Hey Brian, sorry the conversion did not work out correctly. it is 2 cups of split peas
This was one of the first recipes I made in my instapot and I will be making it again!
Easy to make, with very little required prep.
Tasted fantastic.
As other comments mentioned, it’s on the thin side. But I liked that. I had the same consistency of a can of Amy’s vegetable soup. But a cup or two less broth would also make a delicious thicker soup/dip. In fact, I may make it again thicker and then blend it for a dip.
Overall 5/5 since it tasted great and varying the liquid will make it a versatile recipe!
Just so you know, I tried this with non-US measurements and it was very wet. When I went back to the recipe, I realised that the conversion “6 cups (2.5l) vegetable stock” is incorrect: 6 cups is close to 1.4l. Otherwise it was very good, so I will try the better measurements next time.
Please can you update the recipe with the correct Conversion?
This is the first thing I ever made in my new Instant Pot and it was a big success. I put in too much salt but besides that, great flavor, easy cooking and easy cleanup. I used red lentils and split mung beans instead of yellow split peas.
Very tasty soup! I added more split peas as suggested by one commenter (about 1 2/3 cups). I also increased the vegetables by half because I had a lot of vegetables in the refrigerator :-). Because of the extra ingredients, I increased the spices by half, but used the 6 cups of vegetable broth as called for in the recipe. Added 2 cloves of garlic, crushed. My husband and I enjoyed the soup—the spices added a lovely new twist to traditional split pea soup. I’ll definitely make this again—thank you for sharing the recipe!
This soup sounds scrumptious! If I were to make this in a crockpot, any changes (other than the time, of course)? (I don’t have an Instant Pot.)
The soup is good, but needs more peas. Next time I will use 2 cups of peas.
Your measures in grams and liters are off by a wide margin.
This was absolutely delicious! And was even better the next day! This recipe is a keeper!!
Delicious as f$@k but bruh why I had to scroll so far to find the recipe? You gon give me a charley horse in my finger if you keep this up.
Perfect for a busy night when it’s cold! Of course that won’t be until January here in Florida but it looks delicious!
I can’t wait to try out your delicious spilt pea soup in my pressure cooker which is usually reserved for cooking potatoes or beets. Together with slices of whole grain bread it must be heaven:)
Using the instant pot to make soups is ideal for busy weekdays, and having a delicious warming soup ready at the right time is perfect. This is a lovely recipe, full of flavours and deliciously wholesome.
I love all kinds of Moroccan food and this looks delicious. So much nutrition in it too.
This soup looks so delicious! Pinning for colder days!