Roasted Squash and Split Pea Stew

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Published Jan. 26, 2026

Roasted Squash and Split Pea Stew
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5(126)
Comments
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High on comfort and loaded with hearty slabs of roasted squash, this indulgent split pea stew is accented with fresh ginger along with pantry spices like cumin, turmeric and smoked paprika. Split peas take some time to cook, but the lengthy simmer provides a chance to make a tasty vegetable topping. Roasted winter squash, tossed with a little maple syrup or honey to bring out its natural sweetness, transforms the split pea stew experience. Thin-skinned varieties of winter squash like kabocha or acorn save on prep time, as the skin is edible, becoming tender after roasting. Nutty, roasted pumpkin seeds add a flavorful crunch to the final dish. For a stew that edges toward soup, loosen it up with up to 1 cup of water, depending on what your cravings dictate.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
  • 1yellow onion, diced
  • 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1(1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped 
  • 1teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4teaspoons ground cumin, divided
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1½ cups yellow or green split peas
  • 6cups vegetable stock
  • 2pounds thin-skinned winter squash, such as kabocha, acorn or butternut, washed well
  • 2tablespoons maple syrup or honey 
  • ¼ cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
  • Handful cilantro leaves
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

544 calories; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 80 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 1655 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the onion and stir until softened, 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, paprika and 2 teaspoons of the cumin; season with salt and pepper and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the split peas and stock and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring every now and then, until the split peas are very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Give it a good stir to help further break down the peas. Taste and season with salt and pepper (if needed).

  3. Step 3

    While the split peas simmer, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Halve the squash, discard the seeds and cut into 1-inch wedges.

  4. Step 4

    Place the squash wedges onto a rimmed baking sheet. Add the maple syrup, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining 2 teaspoons cumin; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the squash on both cut sides and then lay them out into a single layer and roast until golden and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, reduce heat to 400 degrees, scatter the pepitas on top and return to the oven for 5 minutes, until the seeds are slightly golden. (You may hear them start to pop.)

  5. Step 5

    Ladle the split pea stew into bowls and top with the squash and pumpkin seeds. To serve, drizzle with olive oil and top with cilantro.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
126 user ratings
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Comments

Liesel

Another great tasting lentil soup to add to all my faves from NYT. The spicing is just right. We used delicate squash but next time will opt for butternut. The final topping of toasted pepitas is what really rocks. Double the nuts - you won't be disappointed.

Evan

I added lemon to spice it up, delicious after that

lena kae

This dish is outstanding and will be in our rotation through the rest of the winter. We ate it with short grain brown rice. The split pea stew and roasted Pepitas can be made ahead. Then all you need to do before dinner is toss the squash in the oil, honey and cumin and roast. Roast extra squash and pepitas because you’ll be snacking on them before filling your plates and while cleaning the dishes.

Ndavid

This is really good! The roasted squash is a good texture and flavor contrast to the dal. I tossed the pepitas with the squash a bit to get them coated with oil so they would toast a bit better. Also, my acorn squash was roasted until it was very soft and I was probably a bit generous with spices, especially cumin.

Sara

Huge miss for me. Like the others have said - super bland. The squash is cumbersome to eat while in the soup. Lacked depth of flavor. Needed a good acid finisher and a lot of cilantro to make it acceptable at the end. Lookin for a split pea soup recipe? This one is not it.

AllisonT

Editing my previous review: still think this is meh as written, pea soup with squash dumped in. BUT puree split pea mixture and roasted squash together in blender and it's INFINITELY better as a creamy soup. When blended, the sweetness of the squash balances well with the earthiness of the split peas, and the overall texture is preferable too.

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