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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 PepperÂ
- CarrotÂ
- Yellow OnionÂ
- Garlic
- JalapenoÂ
- 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!Â
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you have the nutritional information for a serving?
I made this for the first time today. I portioned out some of it and added sausage instead of ham & spinach instead of Kale because I was out. It was delicious! Will definitely make this again!
Love these swaps!
Great version of black-eyed peas! I had smoked sausage and no ham, it was great! Love all your recipes!
I accidentally got the Melissa’s precooked peas. Can it still work? Just a shorter cooking time?
Yes that will be fine!
You have lots of yummy recipes but this is the one I look forward to making every New Year’s Day. I always make enough to freeze and eat for lunch through the cold winter months. It’s delicious and if you’re not a black eyed pea fan, you should make this recipe- it’ll make you change your opinion of black-eyed peas !
Thank you for this review!!
I’m new to soaking beans. How much dry beans is the equivalent of 24oz pre-soaked?
Hi Lauren – I would recommend 12-16 oz dried. I soaked 24 oz dry black-eyes peas and ended up with easily double what I needed (oops). Most bags of dried black-eyed peas are 16 oz, so that’s an easy measurement. 🙂
Could I prepare in crockpot if I presoakmy beans overnight?
Thank you!!!!!
Happy 2024
absolutely!!
Hi!
I made this recipe and it was delicious!! I was just wondering if it’s okay to freeze leftovers?
Thanks 🙂
yes these freeze so well!
I had some bacon on hand and decided to sub that for the ham. I chopped 12 oz. of thick peppered bacon, sautéed on medium until browned. I then removed the bacon and set aside to add into the soup after it had finished cooking. Instead of the oil I used the bacon grease to sautéed the vegetables. Very tasty!
My mom required we have a bite of black eyed peas every year on New Year’s Day. I’ve been making this recipe since you put it out on 2017 and I look forward to it every year!