Black Eyed Pea Soup

A bowl of this Black Eyed Pea Soup is sure to bring good luck – and it’s delicious! Serve this hearty soup with a hunk of warm, buttered cornbread for the ultimate cozy meal.

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If you believe that food can bring good luck, then a bowl of this Black Eyed Pea Soup is about to change your life. In fact, you should just run out and buy a lottery ticket while this soup is simmering. Hey, you never know…you might win big! And even if you don’t win, you’ll still have an amazing pot of soup waiting for you on the stovetop.

Close your eyes and picture a cold winter day. The kind of day where the windows are frosted and the trees are completely stripped of leaves. The kind of day where you dread going out to the mailbox because you know how cold it is. Now imagine a piping hot bowl of this Black Eyed Pea Soup in front of you. This soup is perfect for cold winter days!

Black Eyed Pea Soup

This Black Eyed Pea Soup is hearty and cozy and channels all of the warm feelings. Whether or not you prefer a vegetarian black eyed pea soup or this black eyed pea soup with ham, you’re in for a real treat with this recipe!

Growing up, my mother would always (and I mean always) make a pot of black eyed peas on New Years Day. My sister and I eyed them suspiciously, but my mother swore they brought good luck for the coming year.

Why Are Black Eyed Peas Lucky?

• In West African tradition, black eyed peas have long been considered a good luck charm to ward off evil spirits.
• According to Southern US history, Union troops during the Civil War ignored fields of black eyed peas. The soldiers considered the peas as food for animals, so they left the fields untouched. These peas thus became ‘lucky’ to Confederate troops as they were one of the few edible crops left by Union soldiers.
• In European tradition, black eyed peas increase in size when cooked, and so they represent fertility.
• No matter which philosophy you follow, many folks (especially in the South) believe that eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year. When cooked with tomatoes, black eyed peas are said to bring wealth and health. Some people put a penny in the pot for extra luck. I omitted the penny in this recipe, but feel free to add one in – just don’t eat it!

More Lucky Ingredients

The black eyed peas aren’t the only lucky ingredient in this Black Eyed Pea Soup. In fact, this soup is packed with luck!

• Pork. Ham is a traditional meat served on New Year’s Day because pigs “root forward” when foraging, thus symbolizing moving forward in life. This soup contains not one, but two types of pork – ham hocks and bacon. Double the luck right there!
• Greens. Just as black eyed peas are said to represent coins, greens are said to represent dollar bills. Thus, greens like collard greens, cabbage, mustard greens, spinach or turnip greens are often served on New Year’s Day.
• Cornbread. Due to its color, cornbread represents gold. Serving black eyed peas, greens and cornbread is believed to bring wealth during the coming year. Plus, a good hunk of cornbread with a bowl of this Black Eyed Pea Soup is downright magical! Feel free to make your favorite cornbread, but I will say that a batch of this cornbread recipe (minus the blueberries) is perfect for this soup.

Circling back to this Black Eyed Pea Soup, it contains all the lucky things: black-eyed peas, tomatoes, ham, greens…and it’s served with cornbread. If a bowl of this soup doesn’t bring good luck, I don’t know what will! Not only does this soup taste delicious, but it’s packed with all sorts of protein, vitamin and minerals, too. It’s exactly what you need on a cold winter day!

Why Soak Black Eyed Peas Overnight?

While soaking the dried black eyed peas overnight does require a bit of forethought, it is worth the time. Soaked black eyed peas not only cook faster, but they are less mushy, too. No one wants to eat mushy peas! Just place the peas in a large bowl and cover them with at least 3″ of water. The next day, drain the peas and you’ll be all set to make this soup.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on stovetop or in a microwave until heated through. This soup also freezes well. Just let it cool completely and then place in an airtight container in the freezer. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

If you’re looking for a fantastic winter soup recipe, then this Black Eyed Pea Soup deserves a spot on the menu. It’s especially good on New Year’s Day, but we make this one throughout the winter. A bowl of this hearty soup is comforting and cozy – just the thing you need on a cold day. The flavor of this soup is amazing, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do here in our house. Cheers!

Did you make this Black Eyed Pea Soup recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Black Eyed Pea Soup

A bowl of this Black Eyed Pea Soup is sure to bring good luck – and it's delicious! Serve this hearty soup with a hunk of warm, buttered cornbread for the ultimate cozy meal.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Soaking Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 11 hours hours

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 472kcal

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Ingredients

• 16 oz. dried black-eyed peas
• 4 oz. bacon diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 3 ribs celery chopped
• 3 large carrots peeled and diced
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 14.5-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 cups chopped fresh collard greens stems removed
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 pounds smoked pork ham hocks can substitute leftover ham bone
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro plus more for garnishing
• 2 Tbsp cooking sherry
• sour cream for serving

Instructions

• Place black-eyed peas in a large bowl or large pot and cover with water at least 3” above peas; let soak overnight. Drain peas and set aside.
• Place a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until crispy. Leave the bacon fat in the pot but transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate; set bacon aside.
• Add olive oil to the pot with the bacon fat.
• Add onions, celery and carrots. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Add the garlic; sauté for 1 more minute, stirring occasionally.
• Add the drained black-eyed peas, tomatoes, collard greens, chicken broth, ham hocks, crumbled bacon, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme; stir until well combined.
• Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1½-2 hours, or until black-eyed peas are tender.
• Remove ham hocks. Discard skin and bones. Chop meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot.
• Add cilantro and sherry; stir until well combined.
• Garnish with additional cilantro and a spoonful of sour cream before serving.

Notes

For a vegetarian version of this soup, omit the bacon and ham hocks and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

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