Black-Eyed Pea Soup
This hearty black-eyed pea soup recipe is full of flavor, packed with beans and veggies, and it’s vegan, too! Using dried beans makes it extra delicious and budget-friendly.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas (or canned, see notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
- 1 cup diced carrots (2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup diced celery (2 stalks)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (I use low sodium)
- 1 cup water
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups chopped greens such as kale or collard greens (see note)
- optional garnish: chopped parsley, sliced green onions, or hot sauce
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the peas. Soak them overnight in water or use the quick soak method (refer to package directions). If you are using canned beans, refer to the notes below.1 lb. dried black-eyed peas
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are translucent and vegetables are starting to soften.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring, or until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, minced
- Stir in the smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- Add broth, water, black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes (with their juice), and bay leaves. Stir to combine and increase heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil. (It takes about 15 minutes to come to a boil.)4 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup water, 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained, 2 bay leaves
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender. If the beans are older, they may take longer to get tender.
- Stir in the chopped greens and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the greens are tender.3 cups chopped greens such as kale or collard greens
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. Add more water or broth if it is too thick.
- Serve the soup garnished with chopped parsley, sliced green onions, or a drizzle of hot sauce, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Makes about 11 cups.
- Using canned black eyed peas: For a shortcut, substitute 4 cans (15.5 oz. each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained. Use less salt, about ½ teaspoon. Cook the soup as directed but simmer the soup for only 20 minutes before adding the greens, to cook for another 15 minutes or until greens are tender.
- Greens: If desired, you can use spinach but since spinach leaves are very tender, add them during the last few minutes of cooking time.
- Add meat: We opted to make this soup vegan but it would be delicious simmered with a ham hock (add with the broth and tomatoes) and/or with cubed cooked ham (add with the greens). Smoked sausage is a popular choice, too. Slice the sausage, and brown it in a tablespoon of oil before you put the vegetables in the pot. The sausage can either be removed from the pan and reserved to add with the greens, or left in for the whole cooking time, whichever you prefer.
- Spices: If desired, omit the smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and instead substitute 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.75cups | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 1246mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5008IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 8mg
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