Smoky Black Eyed Pea Soup
Bring in the New Year with a bowl of hearty Black-Eyed Pea Soup with collard greens and smoky creole seasoning! This cozy plant-based recipe is healthy and delicious!
Black eyed peas are a New Year’s tradition that is said to bring good luck.
And when served with cornbread, it represents gold, and when stewed with tomatoes, it symbolizes health and wealth.
So don’t mind me if I eat the whole pot! 😍 Are you with me? Then keep on reading…
Why We Love This Recipe!
- Easy one-pot meal! Whether starting with soaked or canned black eye peas, this recipe cooks fairly fast but tastes like it stewed for hours. Since it cooks in one pot, you’ll have less clean-up and more time to enjoy. You’ll also find Instant Pot and Slow Cooker instructions!
- It’s healthy and nutritious! Made with plant-based whole foods, this vegan black eyed pea soup is loaded with protein and fiber to keep you feeling fuller longer. Plus, it provides plenty of essential vitamins, minerals, and macro nutrients. See recipe card for more info!
- This recipe makes plenty, so you will have leftovers. It will yield enough for 8, making it perfect for a small crowd. Even if you’re not feeding that many, you’ll be glad to have leftovers because they taste even better the next day.
Ingedient Notes
Black eyed peas – My favorite black eyed peas are freshly cooked from dried beans, but canned beans can be used for convenience. I’ve noted in the recipe different cooking times depending on what you’re starting with.
Collard greens – These healthy greens are added at the end of cooking to keep them vibrant in color and somewhat al dente. If you find them to be a bit bitter, feel free to add them early and cook them down until completely soft. There is no wrong way to eat your collard greens! For variation, kale, chard, or spinach can be used.
Mirepoix – A classic mix of onion, carrots, and celery is sauteed, creating a nice flavor base for the soup.
Tomatoes – You can use 1 can (28oz.) or 2 smaller cans (14oz.). Use the whole can with juices and all. We love using fire-roasted diced tomatoes when possible for the extra flavor.
Herbs – We used a mix of dried thyme, basil, and oregano in keeping with a creole seasoning in mind. For variation, you can use a seasoning mix such as poultry, Italian, or even herbes de Provence.
Spices – Here we kept it simple with just smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and plenty of black pepper (and salt). And, for good measure, onion and garlic powder are added to the mix.
Veg paste – We love using Better Than Bouillon (affiliate link) as our vegetable broth base. It’s super convenient, and you only need a little. Plus, it lasts for months in the fridge. I only used 1 teaspoon for this recipe.
How To Make Black Eyed Pea Soup
Here is a quick overview of the process with a few photos for reference. The full printable recipe card is below.
Making black-eyed pea soup couldn’t be easier!
- Start by sauteeing the onion, carrots, and celery for 7 – 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, herbs, and spices, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the black eyed peas, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring it all to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes to 1 hour (depending on whether using canned or dried beans).
- About 5 minutes before soup is done, stir in the collard greens and cook until softened and wilted.
And that’s it – now you’re ready to enjoy and bring yourself some good luck!
Commonly Asked Questions
How do you soak black eyed peas?
For an overnight soak, place the dried beans in a pot of water, covering them with 1 – 2 inches, and let soak for at least 8 hours, drain water. For a quick soak, heat the beans up to a boil, remove them from the heat, and let them soak in the hot water for 1 hour. Drain the water.
How long does it take to cook black eyed peas?
On the stovetop, presoaked black eye peas take about 1 hour to cook. In the Instant Pot, they take about 8 minutes at HIGH pressure to fully cook. When using a slow cooker, it will take 3 – 4 hours on HIGH or 5 – 6 hours on LOW.
Can I make this recipe in an Instant Pot or slow cooker?
Absolutely! In the notes section of the printable recipe card below, you will find instructions for both of these methods. And if you have additional questions, just ask in the comments. I’m always here to help!
Serving Suggestions
Complete your bowl of soup with any of these delicious options:
- Vegan Cornbread (our favorite)
- Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins (for a spicy kick)
- Sweet Chia Cornbread (with nutritious chia seeds)
- Juice of a lemon wedge adds brightness to your individual bowl and is always a welcome addition to this soup.
How To Store, Freeze + Reheat
Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container.
Freezer: Black-eye pea soup freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months! To freeze, let cool completely and store in sealed containers like these freezer-safe meal prep containers (affiliate link). You can also freeze larger portions in gallon-size ziplock bags.
Reheat: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat or the microwave for 30 – 60 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until warmed through.
More Healthy Soup Recipes!
- Hearty Vegan Lentil Soup (rich + savory)
- Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup (fan-favorite)
- Vegan Tomato Basil Soup
- Kale, Quinoa + White Bean Soup
- A Very Good Vegan Split Pea Soup (thick + creamy)
If you try this easy soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintBlack Eyed Pea Soup
Savory and hearty, this Black Eyed Pea Soup with collards is an easy one-pot meal made 100% vegan, gluten-free, and low-fat. It’s a healthy way to bring the new year and enjoy to your heart’s content!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 – 8 1x
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: simmer
- Cuisine: Southern, Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 lb. black eyed peas, soaked – see notes (or 3 cans (14oz), drained and rinsed)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil or 1/3 cup water
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon EACH thyme, basil, and oregano
- 1 teaspoon EACH garlic + onion powder
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 can (28oz.) diced tomatoes, with the juices
- 2 – 3 cups collard greens, chopped
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon EACH salt + pepper, or to taste
Instructions
Saute: In a large dutch oven, heat oil or water over medium heat, add onion, carrots, and celery, saute for 7 – 10 minutes. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic & onion powder, cook until fragrant, about 1 – 2 minutes.
Simmer: Add the black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes (for canned) to 1 1/4 hours (for soaked), or until beans are tender. Before soup is done, about 5 – 10 minutes ahead, stir in the collard greens. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.
Serve: We love adding a squeeze of lemon over the top of our serving bowls for brightness. And this slightly sweet Vegan Cornbread is the perfect accompaniment to this savory soup!
Serves 6 – 8
Store: Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 – 3 months. Let thaw before reheating.
Notes
How to soak black-eyed peas: Place the beans in a pot of water, covering them with 1 – 2 inches, and let soak for at least 8 hours, drain water. For a quick soak, heat the beans up to a boil, remove from heat and let soak in the hot water for 1 hour, drain water.
How long does it take to cook black eyed peas? On the stovetop, presoaked beans take about 1 hour to cook. In the Instant Pot, they take about 8 minutes at HIGH pressure to fully cook. When using a slow cooker, it will take 3 – 4 hours on HIGH or 5 – 6 hours on LOW.
Herbs: For variation, use poultry, Italian, or herbes de provence.
Greens: Switch up the collards with kale, chard, or spinach.
Other Cooking Methods:
Instant Pot: Add everything to the pot, except the collards, attach and seal the lid. Cook on HIGH pressure for 2 minutes (using canned beans) or 8 minutes (using soaked beans). Stir in the collards when done, and season well.
Slow-Cooker: If using dried beans, there is no need to soak the beans. Add everything to the bowl of a slow cooker, except for the collards. Cook on HIGH for 7 – 8 hours (if using canned or presoaked beans, cook on LOW for 5 – 6 hours or HIGH for 3 – 4 hours). Stir in collards at the end, and season well with salt and pepper.
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Loved this recipe. The smoked paprika gave this soup a depth of flavor that I liked. I cooked mine in the pressure cooker by sautéing the vegetables first then adding all the other ingredients. I divided the diced tomatoes and added the remainder after cooking for 12 minutes. I enjoyed this soup with a big garden salad and cornbread. It would also taste good with a sweet potato on the side instead of the cornbread.
I used Cajun spice blend in place of the trio herbs thyme basil oregano.
Added 1 can of Rotel and also adobo to spice it up. And added extra veggie broth.
Doubled carrots and celery.
Great recipe! Love it. Thanks.
I am planning on making this- I was thinking of using my crockpot as I have an evening commitment the night I want it. Should I still soak the beans if I am going to use a crockpot?
Great question, Tracy! There is no need to soak the beans if using a slow cooker. I’ve updated the notes section of the recipe card to include this note. Enjoy the soup!
Very good! My daughter’s fiancé eats Vegan, so I’m always looking for easy recipes that our whole family will enjoy. This was a winner!
Delicious and will be making again! It’s amazing as is, but I separated the pot and did add rotisserie chicken! It’s a soup for everyone!
I’ve made this soup again tonight – I’ve had it loads of times now! A firm favourite. So flavourful and warming, and leftovers freeze really well. It’s also a very forgiving recipe if you swap things. For example, tonight I didn’t have carrots, so used half a butternut squash instead. It still turned out delicious! A “go to” soup that will remain on the meal prep schedule for years to come I’m sure!
Thank you Julie :-)
We are so happy you loved the recipe and have it on repeat! Thanks so much for sharing your subs, Deborah. Sounds delicious!
Hi, I want to make this soup this week. Would frozen greens work? Thank you so much!
Mary
Sure, frozen greens will be fine. Just let them thaw and at them at the end as instructed in the recipe. Enjoy!
Simple & delicious! Just made this tonight using my Instant Pot & it turned out phenomenal. Thank you for another fabulous + healthy dinner Julie! Xoxo.
Wow, what a great combination of flavors. I used only 1 tsp of the smoked paprika and the final flavor was wonderful. My vegan wife really likes it a lot —says it’s her favorite soup of all time! Thanks for the recipe.
This is a terrific recipe! We loved it, I did put the collards in with 15 minutes left so they were a little tender, and also put the lemon juice in at the end. I’ve been trying to find recipes that help fill up a big eater in my house that are healthy, and this one received a big thumbs up (translation – two full bowls eaten at once!). I used canned black eyed peas and they worked out great.
Hello Veganista! I tried to make this recipe with presoaked beans and they have been cooking for hours and are not getting soft. Google told me that cooking beans with tomatoes will cause this. So this recipe is best made with canned beans! Just an fyi, don’t be like me… luckily I had a burrito earlier or I’d be hungry! I love your other soups!
Hmm, sorry you are having an issue, Kristen! If you presoaked your beans for at least 8 hours and simmered the soup for 1 hour and 15 minutes, the beans should be fully cooked. This is how I made the recipe (with the tomatoes), and it turned out perfectly. I’m not sure what could have happened, and sorry for the wasted ingredients. I hope you try again with dried beans – or stick with canned beans just to be sure. Thank you so much for sharing! :)