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Yellow split peas

Beans, lentils & pulses · Lentils & dals

Yellow split peas

Dried peas split in half, here the yellow kind; cook to a soft purée for soups and dals without soaking.

Also called: split peas

A kind of lentils

3 recipes with it

Photo: Sanjay Acharya, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Yellow split peas are dried field peas that have been skinned and split, so they cook quickly into a soft, mealy purée. They look very like chana dal and toor dal but are a different plant (Pisum sativum) with a milder, sweeter taste; they are used as a cheaper substitute for both. Green split peas are the same pea with a green seed coat.

Pisum sativum

How it’s used

  • Simmered into pea soup and Greek fava purée
  • Cooked into Caribbean dhal and Trinidadian split pea fillings
  • Used in place of chana dal in everyday dals
  • Ground for Indian-style fritters

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, sweet and earthy.
Texture
Mealy and soft; collapses into a purée.
When cooked
Breaks down completely with long cooking; no soaking needed, though rinsing removes dust.
Sold as
dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling, Used for thickening

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep airtight in a cool, dry place; best within a year.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Cool cooked legumes quickly and refrigerate; reheat until piping hot and use within a few days.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with yellow split peas

More lentils & dals