Sauté the onions with the extra virgin olive oil until they soften and then add the thyme stirring it through for 1min.
Add the split peas, salt and water. Bring it all to a boil and let it simmer for 50-60min in total. You’ll notice a bit of foam will form on the top layer, just remove it with a slotted spoon or strainer.
After 30min of cooking add the grated carrots and lemon juice and continue cooking for a further 20-30min or until the peas are very tender. Take the pot off the heat and use a hand blender to puree it. If you prefer a more textured consistency then you can just press it with a potato masher.