Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (2024)

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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.

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (1)

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 Momnevermissed serving up black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. So, here I am. I alwayseat my black-eyed peas to ring in the New Year. This year, I am enjoying them in this Black-Eyed Pea Soup!

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (2)

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 - The Defined Dish - Recipes (3)

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.

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (4)
Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (5)

Step Two: Add the Ham

Next, add in the diced ham and sauté for two more minutes.

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (6)

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.

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (7)
Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (8)

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).

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (9)
Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (10)

Step Five: Serve and Enjoy

Remove the bay leaf then serve and enjoy!

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (11)

Recipe FAQs:

What type of black-eyed peas do I need?

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.

Can I make this in advance?

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 Italian White Bean Soup

Easy Chickpea and Kale Tuscan Style Soup

Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (12)

5 from 19 votes

Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Total: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

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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

*If you cannot find pre-soaked black-eyed peas in the fridge section at your local grocery store you can use dried black-eyed peas but you must pre-soak them first by pouring them in a bowl and filling the bowl with water until covered by 2 inches. Let soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Alex Snodgrass

Servings: 8 people

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Black-Eyed Pea Soup - The Defined Dish - Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is it called Hoppin John soup? ›

Some say an old, hobbled man called hoppin' John became known for selling peas and rice on the streets of Charleston. Others say slave children hopped around the table in eager anticipation of the dish. Most food historians think the name derives from a French term for dried peas, “pois pigeons.”

What happens if you don t soak black-eyed peas before cooking? ›

Soak the beans (optional): Unlike the stovetop method, you don't have to soak your beans if you're cooking them in the slow cooker. If you choose to forego soaking, you will have to cook them for longer. Cook the beans: Add beans to a slow cooker and cover with two inches of water or broth.

Should you drain and rinse canned black-eyed peas? ›

Canned black-eyed peas are best in recipes that don't require slow cooking or a long cook time, which can make them mushy. If you're using canned black-eyed peas, simply rinse them in a colander to remove any liquid from the can as well as excess salt. Then you're good to go!

What is the significance of eating black-eyed peas? ›

Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved, as many traditions do, into a number of variations – but most hold the theme of luck and prosperity that harkens back to the Civil War days when people felt lucky to have black-eyed peas to eat and help them survive the cold, harsh winter ...

What is the difference between Hoppin John and black-eyed peas? ›

What's the difference between Hoppin' John and black-eyed peas? Hoppin' John has black-eyed peas in it, but it also has other ingredients. In this recipe, the black-eyed peas are stewed with onion, garlic, celery, and a ham hock, similar to how some Southern-style black-eyed peas would be cooked.

What is leftover Hoppin John called? ›

On the day after New Year's Day, leftover "Hoppin' John" is called "Skippin' Jenny" and further demonstrates one's frugality, bringing a hope for an even better chance of prosperity in the New Year.

How many cups of black-eyed peas are in a pound? ›

Black-eyed peas are often packaged in 1- or 2-pound bags. One pound of dry peas is about 2 cups. One cup of dry black-eyed peas makes 3 cups of cooked peas (6 servings).

Are black-eyed peas good for you? ›

The bottom line. Black-eyed peas are highly nutritious and associated with many impressive health benefits. In particular, they may help support weight loss, improve heart health, and promote digestive health. They're also versatile, delicious, and easy to incorporate into a number of recipes as part of a healthy diet.

How long should black-eyed peas cook? ›

Soaked black eyed peas take about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours to cook, depending on the age of the beans, how long they were soaked for and how soft you prefer them. If you're starting with frozen black eyed peas, microwave until thawed before adding them to your dish.

Why do black-eyed peas foam when cooking? ›

When dry beans boil, a foam forms on the top of the cooking liquid. This foam is water-soluble protein released from the beans and it will be absorbed back into the bean cooking liquid. It is not necessary to remove the foam.

Can you eat kidney beans straight from the can? ›

Canned kidney beans are PRE-COOKED and ready to eat out of the can or add to a prepared dish. Raw or undercooked kidney beans do indeed contain a toxin that will make you sick (but won't kill you) but undercooking is only an issue if you prepare the beans from dry.

What religion eats black-eyed peas? ›

It has been customary to eat black-eyed peas on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, for hundreds of years, but this dish also has history stemming from the African diaspora and has been spread throughout the Southern United States.

Why do people put black-eyed peas in their purse? ›

The black-eyed peas are for luck, or prosperity, the peas represent coins and greens foldin' money.

What does hog jowl mean on new year's? ›

Why Include It for New Year's? Hog jowls are often utilized as a part of the traditional New Year's Day feast to ensure health and wealth in the coming year. Pigs have held this symbolic distinction for a long time, dating back to when having a supply of fatty meat meant survival in cold winters.

Why is it called rice and peas and not rice and beans? ›

Rice and peas is a staple side dish in Jamaica and much of the Caribbean. Though called rice and peas, it's actually made with beans! The reason this name came to be is because Jamaicans call red kidney beans peas – though funnily enough, other varieties of beans are called beans.

Why is it called Saturday soup? ›

The reason that it is called Sa-ti-deh Soup is because it was traditionally cooked on a Saturday. Split Pea / Saturday Soup is a great option to feed the family or even just yourself if you want to stretch food for days.

Why did the Black Eyed Peas choose their name? ›

After Eazy-E died of an AIDS related illness in 1995, they changed their name to Black Eyed Peas; will.i.am explained on the front cover of the Monkey Business album that “Black Eyed Peas are food for the soul”, hence the name.

Why were the French called pea soup? ›

The first bowls of pea soup

Les Habitants, otherwise known as the first French settlers, started to arrive in Canada in the 17th century. And they lend their name to the soup made with yellow split peas, ham hock and vegetables.

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