Legumes
Split Peas
Quick Tips
How to cook split peas
Split peas do not need to be soaked, but if you’d like to speed up cooking time, you can do so for a few hours. Split pea cook time can be adjusted based on use. For peas that need to hold their shape, cook for up to 30 minutes. To puree in soup, split peas should be cooked up to an hour.
How to buy split peas
Buy beans out of bulk bins you know have quick turnover or from companies that go through inventory at a quick pace. Two of my favorites: Bob’s Red Mill and Rancho Gordo.
How to store split peas
Store dried beans in an airtight container, away from light. I prefer to keep my beans in glass jars, kept in my pantry cupboard. While beans can last for some time, I try to make sure I don’t have any beans older than a year in my pantry. Cooked lentils will last up to a week in the refrigerator.
Varieties
Green
Yellow
About
Split peas are just that: field peas that have been dried and split in half. Split peas are nutrient dense, with high protein and fiber content (compared to their low fat content.) These peas are great to have on hand for everything from soup to curries. Yellow split peas are milder than their green counterpart, and occasionally I swap yellow split peas in recipes that call for red lentils.
You might be most familiar with green split pea soup, but these peas are a great addition to many vegetarian meals. I recommend starting with split pea curries, making a legume dip (like hummus), or cooking until just-tender and adding to salads.