Crunchy Split Peas
Over the past few years this has become a really popular recipe on my site, and I was so excited when I saw that Whole30 updated their approved foods list to include Split Peas!! This is such an awesome snack to make using pantry staples that I think you guys are going to love. These Crunchy Split Pea snacks are salty, highly addicting and Whole30 and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal!
Until recently, the only thing that I associated with split peas was soup (specifically my Nanas delicious ham hock and split pea soup). Split peas are simply garden peas which, when dried, lose their outer skin causing them to split in two. They have a long list of health benefits, including helping to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. One cup contains 65% of your daily intake of fiber. Per cup, split peas have 100 calories less than chickpeas, which make them a great alternative to the current trend of roasted chickpeas.
These split peas are my new favourite snack, they are crunchy, salty and incredibly addicting. After soaking the yellow split peas for 4 hours, they take less than 10 minutes to cook. In the photo above you can see how much the split peas expand after soaking. I like eating them lightly seasoned with salt but they also taste great with chili, cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, rosemary, thyme or curry powder. The options are endless.
They remain crisp for a few days after cooking, so make a big batch and store them in a jar on the counter to snack on whenever hunger hits. A bowl of split peas is a great dish to serve to guests, complimenting a glass of wine or added to a salad for that crunchy texture. Give these split peas a try and let me know what you seasoned them with. Happy snacking!
Looking for healthy snacks? Here are a few other recipes that you might enjoy:
- Coconut & Ginger Energy Balls
- Baked Spiced Okra
- Banana Bread Energy Balls
- Cinnamon Bun Dip
- Butternut Squash Dip
- Chicken, Avocado & Mango Daikon Rolls
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Crispy Split Peas
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup yellow split peas soaked for 4 hours in water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
- After soaking the split peas, drain them and then pat them dry using a paper towel
- Over medium-high heat, coat a large skillet with the oil.
- Once the pan is hot, add the split peas along with the salt and seasoning and stir frequently until golden in color and crunch in texture (7-10 minutes)
- Remove from pan and serve or store in an air tight container
I noticed that you can’t use the green split peas for the crunchy recipe. Are there any other of varieties that work well? Like the regular brown, or red, black? I got so excited when I came across this recipe! I like anything that is in this category, lol and hadn’t ever thought of doing this. Can’t wait to try it! Thank you, Kristen C.
will try it today! thanks
Such an awesome post.
Thanks for sharing it!
Super easy recipe, once I have the right ingredients I’m sure it will be great!
Definitely tried it with green split peas and burnt them to a crisp. Can’t wait to try again
This is an a addictive snack for me. I have made it multiple times this week. I can’t stop eating these! They are so good! I was given 4 bags of these yellow lentils and had no idea what to do with them. I’m cooking all of them like this. When I’m out, I will replenish. Thank you for the recipe!
Can you use the green split peas?
My husband and I ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ this simple and nutritious recipe! We can wait to try it with the grandchildren…….. we already know that it will be Whig hit!
We use it on salads, snack, in smoothies, icecream (like the best Nutty Buddy Bar! Plus it’s easy and quick to make. Thank you!
Could i cook them using air fryer instead?
Is the 2/3 cup measure before or after soaking? if after, what volume did you start with?
That is the amount before soaking.
I wasn’t so sure about these when I made them the first time. They were so hard I was afraid I might break my teeth eating them. After the first try, I decided if I put them in my mouth and let them sit for just a second they were chewable. And now they’re addictive. They’re a healthy snack at any time during the day. I just made my second 1 pound bag. I sprinkle with curry, garlic, hot paprika, cayenne, and a little bit of seasoned salt.
So good. I love a snack like this! I won’t double the recipe as I like them freshly made.
These look AMAZING! Do you think I could try using whole yellow peas? Or does the recipe only work for split peas? Thank you!
Wow! I have to say I was scepticle but these are sensational! I’ll only make a small amount or I’ll never stop eating them! Thank you!
Thanks for posting lovely receipr
We use cheakpeas without adding anything and use it in home made Bombay mix.
after soaking try splitting one pea withh your nails. if it is that soft then those are properly soaked otherwise soak further few hours. Hope it is helpful
Actually… these are different than “garden peas”. Great recipe nonetheless. 😉
Read a few negative reviews. WRONG colored peas. DRIED Yellow peas are not the same as DRIED green peas. Neither in taste or cooking. Think some tried to apply the sane tech to Dried Green peas w/out altering for the nature of the pea. Understand the ingredient will lead less frustration. And pressure cook the old dried ones to push water into the pea. Not for long either. Or just don’t use them for eating.
This is a great recipe. I baked in oven a bit too long. How should I soften up a bit.?
Just tried this recipe, but didn’t do the 4hr soak. Instead I boiled the peas until just soft. That worked fine, as far as I can tell, in case you don’t have 4hrs.
What is the portion size for the nutrition facts that you list for the crispy split pea snack
you could email me at blue_horizons@msn.com thank you for your Content I really enjoy it
really good!! we added garam masala spice which was great. I also used green peas not yellow and it worked just fine.
Hi. It says 6 servings for 96 cal. Wondering what measurement each serving is?
So we soak them in water for 4 hours?
Baked these in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 ° and then let them set in there until the oven heat dissipated because I am trying to reduce fat.
These are yummy and my husband immediately said “These would be GREAT with a glass of beer!”😂
I used cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, cayenne pepper, and salad & greens seasoning with a bit of kosher salt.
Will definitely make again! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
5 stars for flavor but beware these little crunchies have a social cost. As they are only soaked and toasted, most of the starches in the peas remain unaltered. My husband and I became fire hazards for the rest of the night. If you’re sensitive to lentils or beans, you might want to pass on this recipe.
Couple months ago my mnl gave me a bag of these yellow split peas and I was like what am I suppose to do with these things? She said I don’t know never had them. I said oh,, and you think I have? No not in my life heard of them. After months of tossing them around from one spot to another in my pantry I decided to Google them and found your site with a snack recipe.. I LOVE THEM.. These are tried and true to flavor and crunch. Naturally with dried beans and peas etc we tend to soak in boiling hot water but the instructions said to just soak in water and that’s all I did. The crunch comes from the soaked uncooked pee in the oil or butter and seasonings. They worked perfectly although 10 minutes made them too hard for my teeth so knocked down time to 7 on second batch. Thank you so much for this amazing new go to snack.
This worked so well for me and is so addicting! I tried it with a non stick skillet and a stainless steel one and found that the non stick skillet worked better at controlling the heat and required less stirring.
I cooked them longer than 10 minutes in the skillet and had to finish them in the oven at 300 for about 12 minutes to get the crunch I was looking for
These are tasty! On my second attempt, I added cayenne, garlic salt, and at the last minute of cook time added a squeeze of lime. Endless possibilities as stated.
Didn’t think it was possible, but you have turned something I’ve passed quite often in the pantry, to something I’ll make quite often now! Thank you!
I made these. I added some cayyene pepper instead of chili powder for an extra kick, and also added a bit of Greens Seasoning. I fried them for the 10 mins and let them cool, but they weren’t very crunchy. I added them back to heat with a tad bit of butter and cooked them an additional 15 mins ish.. until they seem to have a slight scratchy sound when stiring. They came out wonderful! Bits of very crunchy flavorful parts along with some semi crunchy very slightly soft bits. Both were very good. New favorite .. thanks!
I loved the way they turned out. I soaked a bag of peas for 4 hours, dropped them in boiling water for 10 mins, let them dry overnight and fried them the next day. For seasoning, I used garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt and chili powder. I just eyeballed the amount and fried them in olive oil for a total of 12 mins. each batch and stirred them frequently.
Only rated three stars because we haven’t tried them yet. My fiance is always adding some crunch factor to whatever he eats, and we have a surplus of split peas, so I’m excited to see what he thinks! I’ll update when the product is finished.
Why rate a product or recipe you have not tried? Makes no sense and brings the overall rating down for no reason whatsoever
I tried this and it came out pretty good. They did not get crispy but the taste was very good. It reminds me of roasted peanuts- they have a nice nutty taste to them.
Sounds really yummy! Can these be made in an Air Fryer?
I have been given several bags of split peas. After many pots of soup, I am looking for other ways to use them. I will try this recipe today.
This is my newfound favorite snack!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you for posting your experience. What type of pan did you use, and did you stir continuously? Exactly how long did you cook the split peas?
It was okay. Didn’t get real crunchy and they are too small to eat