Instant Pot Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup—A hearty split pea soup with barley, carrots, onions, savory herbs and green onions. This is a copycat recipe of the popular vegan soup sold at California Pizza Kitchen.
Get the SLOW COOKER split pea soup recipe here
Instant Pot Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup
When I shared my list of Instant Pot and slow cooker copycat recipes I had two separate people ask for a version of CPK’s split pea soup. I must admit I’d never heard of it but was intrigued that a pea soup could be that memorable. I googled around for some recipes to get ideas of how to make my own Instant Pot version and while I don’t know if this is exactly like CPK’s version I think it’s pretty darn good.
The cool thing about this soup is that the split peas are a natural thickener and you don’t need any butter/flour or cornstarch to thicken. You don’t even need to blend the peas. They just cook and thicken the soup. The other cool thing is that this split pea soup has barley in it. The barley adds an extra texture component.
This soup is naturally vegan. However if you want to add some oomph to the soup you could add in chunks of ham and/or cook the soup with a hambone in it. You could also add in crumbled bacon after the soup has pressure cooked.
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Instant Pot Sausage Barley Soup
What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
To make Instant Pot Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly. It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.
Instant Pot Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
A hearty split pea soup with barley, carrots, onions, savory herbs and green onions. This is a copycat recipe of the popular vegan soup sold at California Pizza Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried split peas, rinsed and sorted
- 1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
- 8 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
- 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
- 1/3 cup finely diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced green onions
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, soy sauce to taste
Instructions
- Add split peas, barley, water, bay leaves, salt, soy sauce, thyme, garlic powder, sage, cumin, carrots, yellow onion and celery into the Instant Pot.
- Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 15 minutes. When the time is up let the pot sit for 10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the green onions and lemon juice. Add extra salt, pepper and soy sauce to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
This soup is naturally vegan. However if you want to add some oomph to the soup you could add in chunks of ham and/or cook the soup with a hambone in it. You could also add in crumbled bacon after the soup has pressure cooked.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Thank you Karen, it’s agreat recipe as is. thank you for all the hard work creating it
Thanks Ed! Glad you enjoyed it
made this tonite. absolutely awesome. it’s amazing how thick and creamy it came out. had the blender ready to puree som to thicken it. Didn’t need it. I did go ahead and add some andouille sausage. I also added a little chicken bouillon. don’t know if it helped but it tasted great. I highly recommend this recipe. thanks
Andouille sounds great in this! So glad you liked it 🙂
We used to order this soup at CPK. So fun to see that you have a copycat for it here. We made it last night and it was delicious! I actually picked up a couple of their recipe books years ago – before they closed in Washington State. We moved to Twin Falls, ID. The books ended up on a shelf and never used. So I got one out and compared. Your recipe is so very close to theirs. I merged the two recipes. Left out the lemon even though we bought one for it. One fun offering at CPK was two soups in a bowl. It amazed me as the soups were side by side in the same bowl – but there was no divider in the bowl. Not sure how they did it. Another very favorite of ours is “Kung Pao Spaghetti”. That recipe is in the book too. Think you could figure out how to do it in the IP? Thanks Karen for your recipes! You are our #1 resource!
Forgot to say I had a ham bone and 2 cups of cubed ham in the freezer left from our Christmas ham. I planned to make a pea soup with them. Finally did it! Looked for an IP recipe and so excited to find this one! We loved going to CPK and having this very soup! It was so delicious with the ham.
yum yum!! sounds so great!
Wow never heard of two soups in a bowl! And that kung pao spaghetti sounds good! Until then here are kung pao meatballs: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-kung-pao-porcupine-meatballs/
I worked at CPK in my 20’s and we sure had to learn how to scoop two soups into one bowl side by side! Haha. I love serving my split pea soup with LOTS of chopped chives on top!
So good! So simple! Was delicious. Only thing I added was diced left-over Easter ham. Yum! Yum! Thanks, Karen, for another EZ and nutritious soup.
I love that idea!!
Excellent recipe….added chopped ham to it for added protein.
Love that idea!
An excellent recipe! Nutritious, inexpensive, quick! Thank you!
Thanks Cathy! So glad you liked it.
Love this recipe and make it often! I, too, use fresh garlic. I also substitute quinoa for the barley and it increases the protein a little, too! This is such a great meatless alternative with nutritious carbs that we so need in our bodies! Thank you!
Yum yum love the idea of quinoa!
We love this soup! So so good!! Do you think it would work in a crockpot? If so, how long? A friend wants to make it but does not have an instant pot?
Thanks!
Yes! here is the sc version: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/slow-cooker-dakota-smashed-pea-and-barley-soup/
My mom used to make the best split pea soup – I can never master it like she did – so I want to try yours – but she put cut up potatoes in hers, Can I take out the barley and add the potatoes? Will it change the cooking time?
cubed potatoes only take like 4 minutes to cook through..so if you add them they’ll be more like mashed potatoes. But I don’t know if that is a bad thing lol
Thank you for your quick reply – I will play with it and see how it comes out
My grandpa was a man who knew how to make split pea soup. He would not have approved of this recipe. He did not use barley, carrots, or lettuce. He only used onion and ham. However after I made this I was very pleased with the flavor.
Sorry Grandpa, I am sticking with the recipe.
george
meant to say celery instead of lettuce
Sorry Gramps!!! Haha this is great!!
Should a non-stick inner pot be used ore a stainless pot? When should a non-stick be used? thanks
george
You can use either!
Karen: please tell me I do not have to half this for a 3-qt pot? First time I made split pea soup my Mom told me my grandfather would be proud of me. Last time I had his pea soup was in 1959. This recipe is different than his but still looks great.
Hi George the most a 3 quart pot should hold of dried beans/peas is 1 pound. Since there is one pound of split peas plus all the other ingredients it will be too much for the 3 quart pot. I’m sorry but you’ll have to halve the recipe: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-halve-instant-pot-recipes/
Just made this today and it tastes great. Does it freeze well?
I think it would do well in the freezer.
I’m not a barley lover – do you think lentils would work as a substitute?
Judy
Yes I think that would be great!
It was a bit bland as written even with adding a ham hock. Once some chicken base was added, it was much better. Next time will cook it in chicken broth and add diced ham at the end.
Sorry that you didn’t love it!
I made this earlier today and my husband and I will love it! Loving the idea of barley and split peas together. I also added more carrots and celery than the recipe called for. Thanks again for a brilliant recipe!
You’re welcome Nancy! So glad you and your husband liked it 🙂
As an added touch to finish it off, we put a pat of butter and a splash of sherry (about a tablespoon) in the bottom of each bowl before ladling the soup in.
Wow! sounds great!
Hi, I’m a newbie with the instant pot. Making this pea soup/barley and just wondering if the setting should be on low or medium, I chose medium. I have an 8 qt instant pot.
For the pressure cooking setting it should be on high. What kind of pressure cooker do you own?
I have celiac disease, so barley is out. Anything I could use instead?
Hmmm, what about another type of grain? Brown rice maybe?
I made this the other day when we got a cold snap and it just seemed like a hardy soup was called for. It is a big winner not just in my house and with my super picky eater neighbor. I’ll warn you it thickens up over night.
So glad you and your neighbor enjoyed it!
My mom had a trick she used to use with pea soup that thickened up in the fridge. She would stir milk or light cream into it and reheat over medium heat, the way you would with a condensed cream soup.
That sounds so tasty 🙂
Delicious!!!!! Will definitely make this again! A few tweaks…..Sautéed the aromatics in bacon grease I had leftover, added better than bullion veggie as above, and added a pinch of cayenne. Also subbed faro for barley since I had that lying around. Love your recipes!
Wow that sounds so tasty Emily!
Going to be making this for dinner tomorrow & was wondering if it would be okay to skip a grain completely?
I’m sure it would!
Just finished making this and it’s absolutely delicious! Only thing I changed is that I added two healing tablespoons of vegetable Better than Bouillon. Will be making this a lot!
So glad you liked it Hilary!
I have quick cook barley. WOuld that work or turn to mush?
I’m afraid so. You could cook separately and stir in later.
Absolutely delicious! The only change I made was to use fresh garlic (I used two good-sized cloves because I didn’t have the powder) and I upped the cumin to 1/2 teaspoon. My husband absolutely raved about it and said, “You can make this A LOT!” I’ve made about a half-dozen of your recipes so far and they’ve all been absolutely delicious! Thanks for all the hard work you put in to this site!
How great to hear this Jean! I’m glad you both liked it 🙂
We had this tonight for dinner. Yum! We did add ham and I used chicken broth. Tasty!
Oh I bet that added tons of flavor! Glad you liked it Leslie!
Absolutely loved this soup!!
Cheryl, thank you I am glad you liked it!
Looks good! To make this low carb, what would have to be removed?
I think split peas and barley are both high carb. So I guess it’s not a good one to make 🙁