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If you like to start your new year off with black-eyed peas, this Black-Eyed Pea Soup is the perfect recipe to enjoy as you kick off the new year.
In the south, eating Black Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day is thought to bring prosperity. Call me superstitious, but I grew up on this tradition and my Mom never missed serving up black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. So, here I am. I always eat my black-eyed peas to ring in the New Year. This year, I am enjoying them in this Black-Eyed Pea Soup!
While some of you may say “YUCK, I hate black-eyed peas,” I think you’re crazy or you’ve only had ones not prepared well because I freaking love me some black-eyed peas. I think this recipe is delicious and I look forward to serving it up every year! I will say, this recipe makes a lot. I always make a ton so that I can spread the love and prosperity to my closest friends by dropping them off a mason jar of this soup. They love it!
Black-Eyed Pea Soup Ingredients:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Red Bell Pepper
- Carrot
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Jalapeno
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Diced Cooked Ham
- Pre-Soaked Black-Eyed Peas: See Note!
- Chicken Broth
- Chili Powder
- Ground Cumin
- Bay Leaf
- Kale
Black-Eyed Pea Soup Step-by-Step:
Step One: Sauté the Veggies
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, garlic, jalapeno, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies are tender.
Step Two: Add the Ham
Next, add in the diced ham and sauté for two more minutes.
Step Three: Add the Black-eye peas, broth, and seasonings
Add the black-eyed peas, broth, chili powder, cumin, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a light simmer and let simmer, covered, until the peas are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Step Four: Cook the Kale
Once the peas are tender, add in the kale and stir in until wilted down into the soup. Taste the soup and add additional salt and pepper, if desired (this will depend on how salty your ham is).
Step Five: Serve and Enjoy
Remove the bay leaf then serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs:
Pre-soaked black-eyed peas are ideal here! I find mine in the refrigerator section at my grocery store. But if you cannot find pre-soaked black-eyed peas, you can use dried black-eyed peas but you must pre-soak them. You do this by pouring them into a bowl and filling the bowl with water until covered by 2 inches. Let soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight if possible.
Definitely! The peas may soak up some of the broth once stored in the fridge so be sure to add additional broth when reheating on the stove.
So for all of you superstitious Southerners like myself that do this tradition, I hope you try my Black-Eyed Pea Soup recipe this year. It’s a very delicious and healthy soup to make, and I hope you will enjoy it. Wishing you all the prosperity in the New Year!
If you like this soup and are looking for others, try these similar recipes:
Hoppin’ Johns (Southern-Style Blacked Eyed Peas)
Easy Chickpea and Kale Tuscan Style Soup
Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced-small red bell pepper (or 1 medium red bell pepper)
- 1 cup diced small carrot (or 1 large carrot)
- 1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion (or 1 small onion)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup seeded and finely diced jalapeno (or 1 large jalapeno)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 cups diced, cooked ham
- 24 oz pre-soaked black-eyed peas *see note
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups kale removed from stem and loosely chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, garlic, jalapeno and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add in the diced ham and saute 2 more minutes.
- Add the black-eyed peas, broth, chili powder, cumin, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low (or a light simmer) and let simmer, covered, until the peas are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
- When the peas are tender, add in the kale and stir in until wilted down into the soup. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper, if desired (this will depend on how salty your ham is).
- Remove the bay leaf. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to airtight containers or freezer bags, leaving some space for expansion. Label and date the containers before placing them in the freezer.
- To thaw, move the container to the refrigerator and let it defrost overnight, or for a quicker option, use the microwave’s defrost setting. Further reheat the soup or stew in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches a simmer, or microwave it in intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
- If you feel like the contents of the soup (i.e. noodles, rice, etc.) soaked up most of the liquid, you can add 1 to 2 cups more broth to rehydrate the soup and get it to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Would it be okay to leave out the jalapeño?!8’ a super spicy wimp and can’t handle any kick at all 🙁
Of course! Enjoy!
Is there still a lot of flavor without the ham? I’m a vegetarian but love the idea of making my black eyed peas and greens In a soup
it should still be good w/o the ham! try adding a little touch of smoked paprika for some smokiness and a little extra salt to help flavor it a bit more w/o the ham
Have not tried the yet , I plan to use a smoked ham hock and maybe fresh Kale ?? What do you think 🤔
will be fab!!!!
I was thinking of adding a ham hock in here for flavor but I’ve never done this. Can anybody tell me how to add this or do you have another alternative to ham, hubbies wont eat ham but likes the flavor..
Hi! Love your recipes! Was wondering your thoughts on adapting this to a slow cooker recipe. Would I need to sauté foods before dumping them in my crock pot?
Thanks!
You don’t have to, but I prefer sauteing the veggies first, then throwing it all in and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
I used frozen black eyed peas. Will that be okay? Or adjust cool time?
yes you can use frozne, but they cook much more quickly (like canned beans) so just keep that in mind so they don’t get mushy.
Love your recipes! Was wondering what you would suggest if I wanted to do this in a crock pot. Would I need to sauté the onion, carrot, and bell pepper before I dump it in my slow cooker?
Thanks!
so tasty! target sells precubed ham in their deli section – made it extra easy!
Really good! I cut the recipe in half, cuz we aren’t going to be home…going on the road! I follow you on Instagram. Always good recipes!
Thank you!!! I am glad you enjoyed them!
This soup was amazing! Love anything that has cumin in it. I pressure cooked it in the Instant Pot for 10 minuets and natural pressure released for about 20-25 mins. Added a side of corn bread. Girl it was so good!! Thanks for this one! ~Sierra R.
oh yummmmmmm love the cornbread with it!!! and so glad it worked in the pressure cooker! Thanks for sharing that for others!! 🙂 I know they’ll appreciate it.
Made it with beef broth and no ham. Delish!
Love you,
Aunt Michelle
yay!! glad you liked it Michelle 🙂 Love you!
This recipe is one of our favorites!
We doubled it last New Years and froze half of it. It was just as good when we enjoyed it a month later. Thank you!