Black Eyed Pea Soup

This hearty and comforting black eyed pea soup is loaded with layers of delicious flavor, lots of bacon and sausage, and of course black-eyed peas.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword bean soup recipes, black eyed pea recipes, ham and bean soup recipes

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 286kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

water
1 pound dried black-eyed peas about 2½ cups
5 slices thick-cut bacon
1 polska kielbasa
as needed extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots diced
2 ribs diced celery
1½ cups frozen collard greens, center stem removed then leaves chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 smoked ham hock
1 large russet potato, cut into 1/2 cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Sort through the black-eyed peas (1 pound) removing debris or rocks. Rinse under cold water.
Add the black-eyed peas to a large heavy bottom soup pot. Pour 5 cups cold water over the peas. Cook over high heat and bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, cover, and let peas soak for 1 hour. Drain peas in a colander; set aside. Wipe out the soup pot.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon (5 slices) until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. When cool, crumble the bacon and set aside. Do not remove bacon drippings. If you don't have at least 2 tablespoons of drippings, add vegetable oil to make up the difference.
Add the Polska kielbasa (1) to the skillet and brown over medium heat; remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the onions (1), carrots (2), and celery (2) and saute until the onion is translucent about 8-10 minutes. Add the collard greens (1½ cups) and garlic (3) and cook until the garlic is fragrant about 1 minute.
Add the sauteed vegetables, chicken broth (4 cups), ham hock (1), crumbled bacon, Polska kielbasa, russet potatoes (1), salt (1/2 teaspoon), pepper (1/2 teaspoon), Cajun seasoning (1/2 teaspoon), soaked black-eyed peas, and 4 cups water to the soup pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer covered, until the peas and potatoes are tender, and the collard greens are the texture you like, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Remove the ham hocks from the soup. When cool enough to handle, remove any meat and return to the soup pot. Discard any skin and bones.

Nutrition