Description
Hearty New Year’s Black-Eyed Pea Soup simmers with Southern charm, blending spicy sausage and tender collard greens. Comfort meets tradition in this lucky dish that promises warmth and prosperity for those who savor each delicious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) pork sausage links, cooked in a skillet, then sliced
- 1 pound (454 grams) dried black-eyed peas, soaked for a few hours
Vegetables and Greens:
- 4 bunches collard greens, washed, ends trimmed, and roughly chopped
- 1 large can Rotel tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 2 small cartons chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups water (adjust as needed)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon or less sugar (to balance bitterness)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Hot sauce (optional, for added heat)
Instructions
- Rinse black-eyed peas thoroughly and soak for several hours to reduce cooking time and improve digestibility.
- In a skillet, render pork sausage over medium heat until golden brown and slightly crispy, then slice into delicate medallions.
- Transfer sausage pieces into a spacious slow cooker, layering with drained black-eyed peas and freshly chopped collard greens.
- Pour chicken stock into the slow cooker, incorporating minced garlic, diced Rotel tomatoes, and tangy apple cider vinegar for depth of flavor.
- Whisk tomato paste into the liquid to create a rich, velvety base, then sprinkle a touch of sugar to balance the acidity.
- Season the mixture with kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and optional hot sauce for an extra kick of warmth.
- Cover and set slow cooker to low temperature, allowing ingredients to meld and tenderize over 8-10 hours.
- Periodically stir the soup, checking liquid levels and adjusting seasonings as the beans absorb stock.
- Before serving, taste and fine-tune with additional vinegar or spices to elevate the overall complexity of the dish.
- Ladle steaming soup into bowls and pair with warm, buttered cornbread for a traditional Southern New Year’s comfort meal.
Notes
- Enhance flavor by soaking black-eyed peas overnight in salted water to tenderize and reduce cooking time.
- Swap pork sausage with turkey or plant-based sausage for lighter, leaner, or vegetarian dietary preferences.
- Boost nutrient density by adding extra vegetables like diced carrots or celery during slow cooking process.
- Control sodium levels by using low-sodium chicken stock and monitoring salt additions throughout cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours (slow cooker)
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Southern (American)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg