Yellow Split Pea

Yellow split pea is a dried, hulled field pea split in half, pale yellow with a flat face and curved back. It tastes earthy and mildly sweet, cooking down to a creamy, velvety texture that readily thickens soups and stews. Common uses include pea soup, dal, and purees; it is sold as dried halves that cook without soaking after a rinse.

Derived from field peas cultivated across the Fertile Crescent and Europe, yellow varieties became staples in Northern Europe and South Asia. Producers dry mature peas, remove the skins, and mechanically split the cotyledons, a process that speeds cooking and promotes smooth textures.