Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Soup (Printer View)

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

# What you'll need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb 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 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices

→ Legumes

08 - 2 cans (14 oz 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)

# Method:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, crumble and brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, about 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 are beginning 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's ready in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day, which honestly feels like a small miracle.
  • The sausage and black-eyed peas together create this perfect balance of hearty and humble that works for weeknight dinners and feeding a crowd.
  • Once you taste it, you'll understand why people keep coming back to this one—it's the kind of soup that feels different every time, depending on your mood.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of draining and rinsing the canned black-eyed peas; the starchy liquid can make your beautiful soup turn into something that looks and tastes muddy.
  • If your sausage is very fatty, drain some of that fat after browning it, but don't drain it all—you need some of that flavor to stay in the pot.
03 -
  • Let the sausage get a little browned and crusty before adding vegetables—that caramelization is where the depth comes from.
  • Taste as you go; a soup's seasoning needs can shift depending on your broth brand and personal preference, so don't be shy about adjusting salt and pepper near the end.
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