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 cooked up a triple recipe, so my cook time was closer to 20 minutes in the cast iron skillet. I added chili, garlic and onion powders, pink salt, and paprika. Then I spread them out on a stoneware baking pan to cool overnight. They look beautiful!
I was really looking forward to these but I cooked them for 20 minutes and they’re still very soft. I’m going to try and put them in the oven and bake them for a while and see if they can firm up.
I made these using onion and garlic powder and all season salt. Cooked for ten minutes. They turned out awesome thank you
I added Brown Sugar Bourbon spice to mine……yummy!!!
Fantastic results! I like it so much I am going to post a video of the cooking process in the cooking section of my YouTube channel soon. See it on Trehan Creek Outdoors.
Meanwhile, here’s a few tips. One, use quality ingredients. I used Extra Virgin first press olive oil.. Good olive oil makes a difference in flavor and in the entire cooking process.
Second, use enough so that at least the entire bottom layer of peas is covered in oil. That may be two or three tablespoons. Cooking is much more even when you stir the peas frequently as stated and each time the bottom layer gets submerged in the oil. You will get a crunchy result as it is the oil that is creating the crunch. Peas that never get in the oil get steamed, not fried.
I used yellow split peas. They are a bit different from green split peas and mine did very well. I cooked on a gas range where temperature can be kept more even. I used 6 on my dial, which is the midpoint of the dial range. I cooked for 7 minutes exactly, turning the heat down slightly to about 5 for the last 3 minutes. When the peas get drier from frying, they cook faster so if you leave the heat up too high, they get too hard.
For my seasoning, I used table salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash regular spices, and chili pepper. I never measure; just use what I think is reasonable. I used 1 cup of dried peas soaked in water for the 4 hours, then just left out for an hour or so on a towel to dry before cooking. I split the peas into two batches so that the peas would not be layered too much.
There is NOTHING wrong with this recipe! This makes a fantastic snack or can be sprinkled in salads, on sandwiches, or in soups. It will work if you follow a sensible cooking process. By all means don’t cook at too high of heat or for too long.
PS> If a 67 year old guy can do this, I know everyone else can. Thanks so much for sharing a great recipe.
Helpful! Thanks.
So good! These are great to munch on alone or throw on a salad for some crunch. I did a cup instead of 2/3 and had to cook them for longer than the recipe said- I recommend using a big pan to speed things up. Great seasoning!
Great recipe. Addictively crunchy. This cooked really well in my air fryer with the oil and seasonings stirred their the peas beforehand. I didn’t need to pat them dry beforehand either.
Sorry, typo in my original comment. Should have said “…into the peas…”.
Can you please tell me how long you cooked in air fryer and at what temp?
Can I use any type of peas or beans?
I tried making crunchy chickpeas last time but when I was done cooking them and put them in a ziplock bag and they turn soft and I kept having to put lots of flavor. I think I should soaked over night and add some salt
I’m sorry to hear that! I suspect they were cooked too long.
Can you oven roast these?
You could although unfortunately I dont think that they will get quite as crispy as when roasted on the stove.
Went to make soup and came across your recipe,split a whole bag 8 cups and made two different seasonings that I had from grilling
1st was Bourbon molasses and 2nd Sweet Chili .Found my new
Favorite snack, my 8 yr old grandson can’t get enough of them. Thank You!
I wonder how well this woukd work with navy beans. Although i have bags and bags of both yellow& green slipit peas, i have bags & bags of nsvy beans (food pantry gives them out weekly). Never found anything to do with them sll. I also get multiple cans of chick peas. I bet those would work & they are already plump. Just a rinse & blot. Thoughts???
Chickpeas are great drained blotted and the mixed with oiive oil and seasoning of choice, then lay them flat on s baking tray and cook on a high heat for 20 to 30 minutes, (keep checking on them though they can burn quickly!) they should be just a bit darker than golden brown and crunchy
Pinterest has tons of recipes for white beans, ive made blondies with them, kinda like brownies and also they have recipes using white beans to make a “cookie dough” type of dip
Love those white beans.lots of experiments.crafts.etc.try your style of white bean hummus.white bean chilli.plain and lightly salted will find their place tossed lightly into a salad or pasta dish.very versatile.
SO DELICIOUS! I make at least one giant batch a week and store them in tiny mason jars. My husband hates green peas but was pleasantly surprised by how much he loves these! I experiment with different flavor profiles – some of my favorites are an Arabic spice blend, a garlic salt/onion/cayenne blend, and Kickn’ Chicken Seasoning. Also, since a make such large batches, I toss the all the peas with olive oil in a giant bowl and start pan roasting some in a skillet while putting the rest in the oven at 350 until the ones in the skillet are done. Then I take the ones from the oven and finish them off in the skillet. It just makes cooking a whole bag go a bit faster. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
What PLASTIC????
I just found my new snack! Something that I will make more often, since I have 5 more bags to go. I may make a bigger batch.
They are a great healthy snack 🙂
I soaked my peas in a pickle brine over night. The result was fantastic! One thing, though…Don’t overcook on the stove. The initial batch was super tasty, but it was so crunchy it was difficult to eat. (cooker error…). Highly recommend this recipe!
Oohh pickle brine sounds delicious! I’m so happy that you enjoyed them!
Tried this week for the first time! Went with onion and garlic powder. Overall, it was a hit. Still trying to get a good balance on crunch. First batch was like peanuts. Second was soft. Flavor was still good though both times. Will definitely make again!
Yum! I made these with green split peas. I soaked them over night since I read some people had problems with them being too hard. I not-so-precisely blotted them down prior to placing on the pan. I would say a batch took closer to 15-20 minutes to make. Seasoned with salt, paprika, chili powder and they are so delicious! My husband bought two ginormous sacks of split peas and I had no idea what to do with them, so I super appreciate this recipe!
I haven’t made your recipe yet. But it sounds delicious. I’m planning to give it a try later today.
Let me know how it turns out!
How can you cook them evenly?