Black-Eyed Peas Sausage Soup (Print Version)

Savor a rich, savory blend of sausage, black-eyed peas, and garden vegetables in a warming 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 Make It:

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 necessary.
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 grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, ready in under an hour from start to finish.
  • Black-eyed peas give you that humble, stick-to-your-ribs feeling without heaviness.
  • The sausage browns once and does all the flavor work, so the pot practically takes care of itself.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing the canned peas; they'll cloud your broth and make it taste canned rather than homemade.
  • The sausage's fat is flavor, but excess fat makes the soup greasy, so drain it wisely rather than eliminating it entirely.
  • Bring it to a boil before reducing heat, because that initial high heat helps flavors bloom and vegetables soften properly.
03 -
  • Save a can of black-eyed peas unmashed to stir in near the end, keeping some texture rather than letting everything turn soft and samey.
  • A pinch of balsamic vinegar at the very end brightens everything without making it taste vinegary.
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