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    Home / Soups

    Cauliflower and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric and Curried Ghee

    Published Dec 18, 2013

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    bowl of deliciious Cauliflower and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric and Curried Ghee

    Turmeric must be the definition of "acquired taste." The root that gives curry powder its characteristic golden hue has strong bitter/earthy notes and the odd ability to give your mouth a mildly cool/numbing sensation. It's not the sort of thing you would want to eat on its own. But like most unpleasant-tasting foods, it's incredibly healthy – anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial, among other things.

    tray of ingredients

    Turmeric has been popping up more frequently in conversations (and visits from my mom who makes shots of the stuff to oust colds – *shudder*) as well as across the interwebs. There's this beautiful turmeric tea from Heidi Swanson, this turmeric lassi (with rosehip and banana – yum!) from Green Kitchen Stories, a turmeric chai latte from Savory Simple (look at those gorgeous photos), and turmeric pickled cauliflower (I am all over that) from Shiksa in the Kitchen, just to name a few.

    split peas in a sieve

    I began thinking about turmeric in its own right after making a cauliflower soup from Deborah Madison's latest tome Vegetable Literacy. The soup was packed with curry powder and turmeric, more than I would have thought would be ok to add, and I found its earthy flavor and velvety texture completely addictive. I could really taste the turmeric and, surprisingly, I liked that.

    onions in a pot

    I'd also been eying a lentil soup in Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Everyday that gets finished with a swirl of curried ghee. So I decided to put the two recipes together, using bright yellow split peas in place of the lentils. I found some orange cauliflower, so I used that as well.

    split peas in a pot

    Our co-op stocks fresh turmeric root, so I decided to try it in the soup. It was then that our cold snap - er - snapped, so while I reached for the ginger root to grate into hot water with lemon and honey to keep warm, I spied the turmeric root and added some of that as well. I drank a cup before bed, and woke up thinking about that stained-yellow liquid, full of spice and sweet and tartness and something else – the slight bitter/earthy edge of the turmeric. I was hooked.

    chopped cauliflower

    Like I said, it's an acquired taste. And I seem to have acquired it.

    cauliflower in pot

    This bright soup is just thing to curl up with on a chilly December day. The split peas, onion, and cauliflower make a silky puree that gets richness from ghee and coconut milk. Fresh ginger and curry powder add warmth and spice. Cilantro stems and a squeeze of lime added at the end give it a bit of grassy tartness that brings it into balance. And the swirl of curried ghee and flutter of cilantro leaves make it feel like a special treat rather than the healthy meal that it is. But the flavor that stands out the most, if you're looking for it, is that weirdly addictive taste of turmeric.

    pot of soup

    Now I'm thinking of a dozen different ways to use that bitter root. Turmeric fried rice. Turmeric popcorn. Turmeric oven fries. Turmeric ice cream(?).

    top down shot of Cauliflower and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric and Curried Ghee

    Or maybe I'd better stick with soup...

    mugs of Cauliflower and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric and Curried Ghee

    More Soup Recipes:

    • Curried Carrot Soup with Ginger and Coconut Milk
    • Curried Red Lentil, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup
    • French Lentil and Spinach Soup
    • Celeriac Soup with Truffle Oil

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this yellow split pea soup recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

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    Cauliflower and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric and Curried Ghee

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    You are going to love this delicious Asian spiced soup!
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings.

    Ingredients

    For the soup:

    • 1 cup yellow split peas (optionally soaked overnight in cool water and drained) (8 ounces / 225 grams)
    • 3 tablespoons ghee (or butter or coconut oil)
    • 1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, diced
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh turmeric (or 1 teaspoon powdered)
    • 1 tablespoon curry powder
    • 8 cups water, more as needed
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 1/2 pounds cauliflower, chopped (about 7 cups) (680 grams)
    • stems from 1 bunch cilantro, cleaned well and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
    • 1 can coconut milk (13.5 ounces)
    • juice from 1 lime, more to taste
    • cilantro leaves for garnish

    For the curried ghee swirl:

    • 3 tablespoons ghee (or butter)
    • 1 teaspoon curry powder
    • a big pinch of salt

    Instructions

    Make the soup:

    • If you didn't soak your split peas, place them in a heat-proof bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for an hour or two. Drain.
    • In a large soup pot set over a medium flame, melt the ghee. Add the onion, ginger, turmeric and curry powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the drained split peas and the water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the split peas are very soft and falling apart, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water to the pan as needed to keep the peas looking soupy.
    • When the split peas are cooked, add the salt, cauliflower, cilantro stems, coconut milk, and enough water to just cover the cauliflower. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the cauliflower is tender, 20 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly, then puree smooth with an immersion blender (or let cool to room temperature and puree in a blender or food processor). Blend in the lime juice, and taste for salt and lime, adding more of either if you like. Thin with a bit of water if it's too thick; it will continue to thicken as it sits.

    Make the curried ghee:

    • In a tiny pot or skillet, melt together the ghee, curry powder, and salt, stirring well. Serve bowls of soup topped with a swirl of curried ghee and cilantro leaves.
    • The soup keeps well, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Reheat before serving.

    Notes

    Split peas take a while to cook; soaking them overnight, or briefly with boiling water, helps to speed up the process.
    I made this with full-fat coconut milk which makes for a rich soup, but feel free to use the light stuff for something a bit thinner and more brothy.
    You can easily make this vegan by swapping out the ghee for coconut oil.
    Ghee is clarified butter that has a nutty, warm flavor; it can be found in the Indian section of well-stocked grocery stores or Indian markets, or you can make your own. (I like to keep it around for popping corn since it has a high smoke point.)
    This soup keeps well refrigerated and becomes even more flavorful as it sits; it will also thicken as it sits, so thin with a bit of water as needed.
    Nutritional values are based on one of eight servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 324kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 9gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 491mgPotassium: 683mgFiber: 10gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 155IUVitamin C: 45.5mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2.9mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    Cauliflower and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric and Curried Ghee

    Split peas take a while to cook; soaking them overnight, or briefly with boiling water, helps to speed up the process. I made this with full-fat coconut milk which makes for a rich soup, but feel free to use the light stuff for something a bit thinner and more brothy. You can easily make this vegan by swapping out the ghee for coconut oil. Ghee is clarified butter that has a nutty, warm flavor; it can be found in the Indian section of well-stocked grocery stores or Indian markets, or you can make your own. (I like to keep it around for popping corn since it has a high smoke point.) This soup keeps well refrigerated and becomes even more flavorful as it sits; it will also thicken as it sits, so thin with a bit of water as needed.

    Makes about 8 servings

    For the soup:
    1 cup (8 ounces / 225 grams) yellow split peas (optionally soaked overnight in cool water and drained)
    3 tablespoons ghee (or butter or coconut oil)
    1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, diced
    2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh turmeric (or 1 teaspoon powdered)
    1 tablespoon curry powder
    8 cups water, more as needed
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) cauliflower, chopped (about 7 cups)
    stems from 1 bunch cilantro (about 1/2 cup), cleaned well and chopped
    1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
    juice from 1 lime, more to taste
    cilantro leaves for garnish

    For the curried ghee swirl:
    3 tablespoons ghee (or butter)
    1 teaspoon curry powder
    a big pinch of salt

    Make the soup:
    If you didn't soak your split peas, place them in a heat-proof bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for an hour or two. Drain.

    In a large soup pot set over a medium flame, melt the ghee. Add the onion, ginger, turmeric and curry powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the drained split peas and the water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the split peas are very soft and falling apart, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water to the pan as needed to keep the peas looking soupy.

    When the split peas are cooked, add the salt, cauliflower, cilantro stems, coconut milk, and enough water to just cover the cauliflower. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the cauliflower is tender, 20 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly, then puree smooth with an immersion blender (or let cool to room temperature and puree in a blender or food processor). Blend in the lime juice, and taste for salt and lime, adding more of either if you like. Thin with a bit of water if it's too thick; it will continue to thicken as it sits.

    Make the curried ghee:
    In a tiny pot or skillet, melt together the ghee, curry powder, and salt, stirring well. Serve bowls of soup topped with a swirl of curried ghee and cilantro leaves.

    The soup keeps well, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Reheat before serving.

    bowls of Cauliflower and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Turmeric and Curried Ghee

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mara @ ElementalCustard says

      December 18, 2013 at 12:42 pm

      Yum- Im always trying to think of new flavour combos- I love eating soup in the winter!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        December 18, 2013 at 3:16 pm

        Thanks, Mara - me too on both counts!

        Reply
    2. junglegirl says

      December 18, 2013 at 5:44 pm

      Hmm..really good turmeric has strong floral notes, along with the earthiness..whether it's dried or fresh - we can get fresh here (it's easy to grow in a pot!), but I've tasted amazingly floral dried turmeric my Indian heritage friend got in care packages from her mother. The soup looks delicious!
      And your photos look amazing! Perfect lighting and composition...are you taking these yourself? Great job, either way!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        December 19, 2013 at 12:53 am

        Thanks, junglegirl! Yes, I take the photos myself - I've been working on my photography for the last 5 years, and I still have a lot to learn, but I do my best. :) I really appreciate the kind words! I would love to try that floral turmeric - it sounds amazing!

        Reply
    3. Eileen says

      December 18, 2013 at 7:56 pm

      Ooh, such a beautiful vibrant yellow soup! This is exactly the kind of thing I want to eat on a chilly night. And you've also reminded me that I haven't eaten any cilantro in way too long--must go get some before I make this soup. :)

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        December 20, 2013 at 6:37 am

        Thank you, Eileen! I hope you love the soup! We delicate Northern Californians need to keep warm. :)

        Reply
    4. Monet says

      December 19, 2013 at 4:10 am

      Tumeric is so good for you and it adds such lovely flavor and color. This is a wonderful soup recipe. I'll be trying it soon!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        December 20, 2013 at 6:33 am

        Thanks, Monet! I'm glad I'm beginning to appreciate turmeric because it is so healthy. I even put it in a smoothie this morning and I liked it. Let me know how the soup comes out - I hope you love it!

        Reply
    5. Shu Han says

      December 19, 2013 at 4:10 am

      I love that pale golden colour from the happy marriage of yellow split pea and turmeric, with white cauliflower. Gorgeous with the swirl of curried ghee- which, by the way is BLOODY BRILLIANT. Good one alanna. Haven't been commenting much but I just had to for this one when it popped up on my feed. and p.s. wanted to wish you a happy christmas :)

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        December 20, 2013 at 6:31 am

        Shu Han! Thanks for the sweet note! The curried ghee came by way of Heidi Swanson, thus its brilliance. :) Happy Christmas back at you!

        Reply
    6. Karen @ HonestlyYUM says

      December 19, 2013 at 7:29 pm

      I love all the yellow hues. How gorgeous! Looks delicious...

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        December 20, 2013 at 1:10 am

        Thanks, Karen!

        Reply
    7. Unknown says

      February 06, 2014 at 11:51 pm

      Goodness that seems like a lot of water (8 cups) for 1 cup of lentils, and a very long cooking time. I pre-soaked and have only cooked so far for 30 minutes, and all my lentils seem to have disintegrated. Should I be worried..?

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        February 07, 2014 at 1:18 am

        Hi! I'm not sure if we're using the same ingredient - lentils are different than split peas. Lentils take less time and water to cook, where are split peas take for frickin' ever. They look similar, so it's possible that you got a different product than the one I used here.

        Reply
    8. Alanna says

      April 06, 2014 at 9:55 pm

      Hi! That's 1 cup before soaking. Let me know how you like the soup!

      Reply
    9. Carey Vosler says

      April 06, 2014 at 10:01 pm

      yay, thank you! i will! i'm making it right now. stay tuned :)

      Reply
    10. Carey Vosler says

      April 07, 2014 at 3:44 am

      it was delicious, thank you for the recipe and the last minute help!

      Reply
    11. Alanna says

      April 08, 2014 at 4:59 pm

      Yay! SO glad to hear it, thanks for the note!

      Reply
    12. Laura says

      May 15, 2015 at 7:31 am

      Is only 13.5mL of coconut milk needed? It doesn't seem like very much...

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        May 15, 2015 at 7:35 am

        Oh dear, that should be ounces! Thank you for catching that typo, updating it now!

        Reply

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