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Black Eyed Pea Soup

This down-home Black Eyed Pea Soup is filled with fresh vegetables and ham all cooked in a flavorful seasoned broth. Serve a big bowl with a side of cornbread any day of the year, and you can eat like a king on a budget.

Black Eyed Pea Soup

Easy Black Eyed Pea Soup Recipe

It’s traditional in the South to eat black eyed peas and greens on New Years Day. Some say it’s a symbol of health, wealth and prosperity for the coming year. Others say, it’s a budget friendly meal after the indulgences of the holiday season. Either way, it works for me. Whether your pleasure is hoppin’ john cooked in a slow cooker, or topped with a cornbread crust and baked as a casserole, black eyed peas are a Southern favorite that are here to stay.

 

 

Black Eyed Pea Soup

How to Make the Best Black Eyed Pea Soup Recipe

When time is a factor, these two shortcut ideas may come in handy to make preparation go smoothly.

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Black Eyed Pea Soup: One pound dry black eyed peas rinsed and picked over, bacon, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, Rotel tomatoes, cubed ham, frozen collards, Cajun or Creole seasoning, salt, black pepper, cumin, lemon pepper, green onions and chicken stock or broth.
  • Kitchen tools you’ll need: A large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, sharp knife and cutting board, a large bowl, vegetable peeler, large spoon or stirring, measuring cups and spoons.
  • If you forget to soak the peas overnight, you can use a quick soak method. How do you quick soak black eyed peas? It’s super simple, place black eyed peas into a deep pot and cover with water. Place onto the stovetop and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and cover. Let stand for one hour then drain and proceed with the recipe.
  • You can use three or four 15 ounce cans of quality cooked black eyed peas in place of dry, if desired. If they’re seasoned, you may need to adjust the amount of seasonings in the recipe.
  • Store cooked Black Eyed Pea Soup for up to 5 days chilled in the r4efrigerator, Reheat in single servings in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.

 

cooked vegetables with ham in a dutch oven

Southern Side Dishes to Serve with Black Eyed Pea Soup

 

Black Eyed Pea Soup

More Easy Soup Recipes to Make

Regardless of how you enjoy black eyed peas, they make a tasty, budget friendly meal all year long.

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Black Eyed Pea Soup Recipe
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5 from 1 vote

Black Eyed Pea Soup

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black-eyed-pea-soup, black-eyed-peas-recipes, tex-mex-black-eyed-peas-and-ham
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 370kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dry black eyed peas rinsed and picked over
  • 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled reserve 3 Tbsp drippings
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 lb ham cubed
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 2 cups frozen chopped collard greens thawed
  • 1 Tbsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp lemon pepper
  • sliced green onion optional
  • 2 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
  • sliced green onion for garnishing

Instructions

  • Cover black eyed peas with water. Sit on counter for 8 hours or overnight. Drain water.
  • In the bottom of a 6 quart dutch oven or similar, fry bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels, reserve drippings.
  • To the drippings add onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer.
  • To the pot add, black eyed peas, ham, tomatoes, collards, Cajun seasoning, salt, cumin and lemon pepper. Add 6 cups chicken broth. Mix well.
  • Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium. Cook for 30 minutes. Check level of broth and add 1 or 2 cups of reserved broth, or to your taste. Continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes over medium or until black eyed peas are tender.
  • Mix bacon into the soup or sprinkle on top. Serve garnished with green onion and a slice of cornbread, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 1794mg | Potassium: 1023mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3515IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Melissa, giving this a 5 without haviing made it, because I know this will be amazing. We do the Hoppin’ John here on New Year’s Day. Quick fact-If you eat Hoppin John leftovers on the 2nd (if there are any!) it is called “Skippin’ Jenny”

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