Southern-Style Black Eyed Peas Soup Recipe
This classic Black Eyed Peas recipe is a comforting, savory dish featuring tender black-eyed peas cooked in a flavorful broth with crisp bacon, aromatic herbs, and a hint of heat from hot sauce. Perfect as a hearty soup or side, this recipe balances smoky, tangy, and spicy flavors for a satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- ½ lb. bacon
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
Legumes and Vegetables
- 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Seasonings and Herbs
- 1 tsp Bouquet Garni herb seasoning
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½–1 tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Soak: Rinse the black-eyed peas, removing any damaged or dark ones. Place them in a large pot with 4 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then cover and remove from heat to soak for 1 hour without lifting the lid or draining.
- Cook Bacon: Slice the bacon into ¼-inch strips and cook in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside on paper towels, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the diced onion to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until translucent. Lower the heat, add minced garlic, and cook for another 30 seconds while stirring.
- Deglaze and Add Seasonings: Slowly pour in 2 cups of water while scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in Bouquet Garni, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Simmer gently on low heat for about 10 minutes, then remove from heat until peas soften.
- Cook Peas: After soaking and softening for about 1 hour, add the peas with their soaking broth to the seasoned onion mixture in the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Add all but 3 tablespoons of the cooked bacon. Cover and simmer, stirring every 20 minutes, until peas are tender, approximately 1 to 1½ hours. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the black-eyed peas into bowls and garnish with the reserved crispy bacon pieces and chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm and enjoy this hearty, flavorful dish.
Notes
- Soaking the peas helps reduce cooking time and ensures even cooking.
- Using bacon fat adds depth and smoky flavor to the dish but can be substituted with olive oil for a milder taste.
- The dish can be made vegetarian by omitting bacon and using vegetable broth.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce according to your preferred spice level.
- Leftovers store well and flavors deepen after a day.
Keywords: black eyed peas, black-eyed peas recipe, Southern soup, bacon and black eyed peas, hearty black eyed peas, comfort food, legume soup
