Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Soup (Print Version)

Hearty soup with Italian sausage, black-eyed peas, and vegetables simmered in savory broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Legumes

08 - 2 cans (14 ounces each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

→ Broth & Liquids

09 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Spices

10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
16 - Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, crumble and brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices, black-eyed peas, chicken broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like something you actually want to eat.
  • Black-eyed peas give you substance and nutrition without the heaviness, while the sausage adds richness that makes the broth taste like you've been cooking all day.
  • This soup tastes better the next day, so you're essentially getting two good meals out of one cooking session.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing the canned black-eyed peas; the liquid they come in tastes metallic and will make your beautiful broth taste off.
  • The soup tastes exponentially better the next day when everything has had time to really know each other, so make it ahead if you can.
03 -
  • If you want the soup thicker, mash some of the black-eyed peas against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon right before serving.
  • Brown the sausage properly by letting it sit undisturbed for at least two minutes; this develops flavor that rushing through the step will never give you.
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