Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage (Printable Version)

Hearty soup with Italian sausage, black-eyed peas, and vegetables 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 and Liquids

09 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs and 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)

# Steps to Follow:

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 well to combine.
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. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually make it on a work night without losing your mind.
  • The sausage and tomatoes create this deep, savory richness that makes the humble black-eyed pea shine like it's been braising all day.
  • It's naturally forgiving and tastes even better the next day, so leftovers become a gift to yourself.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing your canned black-eyed peas—the starchy liquid will cloud your soup and make it taste canned rather than homemade.
  • If you drain the sausage fat but the pot still looks greasy, don't be embarrassed to blot it with a paper towel—some fat is flavor, but too much makes the soup feel slick on your tongue.
03 -
  • Toast your dried herbs in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before adding them to the pot—this wakes them up and makes them taste fresher than if you'd grabbed them straight from the jar.
  • If you accidentally over-salt the soup, don't panic; add a peeled potato, let it simmer for 10 minutes, then fish it out—the potato will absorb excess salt like a charm.
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