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Easy Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup: Perfect Southern Recipe

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A quick and easy Southern black-eyed pea soup that delivers deep, slow-cooked flavor in just 35 minutes. No soaking required, perfect for weeknights and New Year’s traditions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or bacon fat)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 3 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 cup water
  • 6 ounces smoked turkey kielbasa or andouille sausage, sliced into half-moons
  • 2 cups chopped collard greens or kale (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Hot sauce (for serving)
  • Chopped fresh parsley or green onions (for serving)
  • Cornbread or crusty bread (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prep your vegetables first (5 minutes). Dice the onion, celery, and carrot into roughly equal-sized pieces — about ¼-inch. Mince the garlic. Slice the sausage into half-moons.
  2. Heat the oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat (1 minute). Add the olive oil and let it shimmer — about 30 seconds.
  3. Sauté the aromatics (5-7 minutes). Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables soften. Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  4. Add the sausage (3 minutes). Toss in the sliced smoked turkey kielbasa or andouille. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage starts to brown on the edges.
  5. Add the broth and water (1 minute). Pour in the chicken broth and water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  6. Add the black-eyed peas (2 minutes). Stir in the drained and rinsed canned peas. Reserve about ½ cup of the peas and set them aside. Add the rest to the pot along with the bay leaf. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  7. Smash some peas for thickness (2 minutes). Take the reserved ½ cup of black-eyed peas and mash them with a fork or potato masher until they form a rough paste. Stir this paste back into the soup.
  8. Simmer the soup (15 minutes). Let the soup bubble gently — not a rolling boil, but a steady simmer. Stir occasionally. If adding collard greens or kale, toss them in during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
  9. Finish with vinegar and adjust seasoning (2 minutes). Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  10. Rest and serve (2 minutes). Let the soup sit off the heat for about 2 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley or green onions. Pass the hot sauce at the table.

Notes

Don’t skip rinsing the canned peas to control sodium. Toast spices briefly in hot oil to bloom flavors. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, not a boil, to prevent peas from turning mushy. Taste before serving and adjust seasoning. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: black-eyed pea soup, lucky soup, Southern soup, quick soup, New Year's soup, easy soup, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://zestynora.com/easy-lucky-black-eyed-pea-soup-perfect-southern-recipe/