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Blackeye Pea Soup

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Black-eyed pea soup with sausage, collard greens, red bell pepper and celery in a red Staub Dutch oven this …

This black-eyed pea soup with sausage is a hearty pot of creamy peas, smoky andouille, collard greens, and finely diced onion, celery, and red bell pepper. The dried peas go straight into the pot without soaking, and a small splash of apple cider vinegar finishes the broth.

This hearty soup pairs well with cornbread on a cool evening. Plan on about 20 minutes of prep and 2-3 hours of stovetop cooking for about 8 servings. The peas set the pace: start checking after an hour, and cook until their centers are tender. You'll also find the Beautiful multi-cooker method below.

Black-eyed peas, andouille, collard greens, diced vegetables, stock and seasonings for the soup

Ingredients You'll Need

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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

  • Sausage substitutions: Use fully cooked smoked sausage, kielbasa, or smoked turkey sausage in place of andouille. Omit the red pepper flakes for a milder soup.
  • Greens substitutions: Mustard greens or kale can replace the collards. Start checking them after 10-15 minutes on the stovetop, since they may soften sooner.
  • Thyme substitution: Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme in place of fresh; add it with the stock.

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How to Make Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Sausage

Step 1 - Prep the peas and greens. Sort, rinse, and drain the black-eyed peas; no soaking is required. Wash the collards thoroughly, remove their thick stems, and chop the leaves into bite-size pieces.

Rinsed black-eyed peas, chopped collard greens, diced onion, celery and red bell pepper ready to cook

Step 2 - Brown the sausage and soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the sausage for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the finely diced onion, celery, and red bell pepper for 6-8 minutes, then add the garlic for the final 30 seconds.

Sausage rounds browning with finely diced onion, celery and red bell pepper in a Dutch oven

Step 3 - Add the stock and simmer the peas. Pour in the chicken stock, scrape up the browned bits, and add the peas and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and gently simmer until nearly tender, checking after 1 hour; older peas may need 2 hours or longer, so stir occasionally and add a little water if the broth becomes too concentrated.

Black-eyed peas simmering in stock with sausage and diced vegetables before adding the greens

Step 4 - Finish cooking the greens. Stir in the collard greens and fresh thyme. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the greens are tender and the peas are creamy inside without a firm center.

Collard greens and thyme cooking with the nearly tender peas and sausage

Step 5 - Season, adjust, and serve. Stir in the vinegar, taste before adding salt, and add black pepper as desired. Mash a small portion of peas against the pot for a thicker soup, or add stock or water for a thinner soup, then ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Finished black-eyed pea soup with vinegar and seasonings ready for serving

Beautiful 10-in-1 Multi-Cooker Method

Use the Sear/Sauté and Slow Cook functions on the white Drew Barrymore Beautiful 10-in-1 Electric Multi-Cooker. The cooking ranges below are estimates; pea tenderness is the final guide.

  • Select Sear/Sauté and add the olive oil. Brown the sausage for 4-5 minutes with the lid off. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook for 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for the final 30 seconds.
  • Cancel Sear/Sauté. Add the rinsed, unsoaked peas, red pepper flakes, and 8 cups of the chicken stock, reserving the remaining 2 cups. Slow cooking requires less liquid because less moisture evaporates. Keep the contents below the appliance's maximum fill line.
  • Cover and select Slow Cook, LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. These are estimated cooking times; check the peas toward the early end of the range and continue cooking if their centers remain firm.
  • When the peas are nearly tender, stir in the collard greens and thyme. Cook on HIGH for another 30-60 minutes, until both the greens and peas are tender.
  • Add enough reserved stock to reach your preferred consistency, then allow the soup to heat through. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and black pepper before serving.

Getting the Texture and Seasoning Right

The peas should be creamy inside, with no firm center. Keep the stovetop at a gentle simmer and check the liquid occasionally; mash only a small portion if you want a thicker broth. Sausage and chicken stock can already be salty, so taste the finished soup before adding the kosher salt.

Overhead view of creamy black-eyed peas, andouille and collard greens in a red Dutch oven

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Refrigerate in shallow, airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use within 3-4 days. Add a splash of stock or water when reheating, since the peas absorb broth as they sit.

Cool promptly and freeze in meal-size containers for up to 3 months, leaving room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout.

What to Serve with Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Cornbread is made for this bowl. Choose Southern Buttermilk Cornbread or Sweet Cornbread for dipping, or serve the soup with crusty bread or cooked white rice. For a crisp, tangy side, try Pickled Cabbage Slaw. Garlic bread is another option, and hot sauce at the table lets each person add more heat.

Gold ladle holding black-eyed pea soup with a small sausage round and tender collard greens

A Few Questions Before You Cook

Can I use canned black-eyed peas with these cooking times?

These cooking times and stock amounts are for dried, unsoaked black-eyed peas. Canned peas are already cooked, and Jennifer's tested recipe does not provide a canned-pea conversion.

Can I replace the andouille with raw sausage?

The tested recipe calls for fully cooked sausage. The listed alternatives are fully cooked smoked sausage, kielbasa, or smoked turkey sausage; a raw-sausage method is not included.

Can I pressure cook this soup in the Beautiful multi-cooker?

Use the supplied Sear/Sauté and Slow Cook method for this recipe. No pressure-cooker instructions or timings are provided.

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Tell Me How It Turned Out

Leave a comment below and tell me how your soup turned out, which sausage you chose, or what you served alongside it. If you made the recipe, please leave an honest rating and review to help other readers.

More Recipes You Might Like

For more hearty bowls, browse Cozy Soup Recipes. You might also enjoy Cajun Red Beans and Rice, Creamy Italian White Bean Soup, or Southern-Style Collard Greens.

Homemade black-eyed pea soup with andouille and cooked collard greens served with cornbread

Recipe

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Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Sausage

Homemade black-eyed pea soup with andouille and cooked collard greens served with cornbread
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Smoky andouille, tender black-eyed peas, and collard greens simmer in a savory broth for a hearty soup you can make on the stovetop or in your slow cooker.

  • Author: Jennifer
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Braising
  • Cuisine: American, Southern

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 ounces fully cooked andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
  • 1 cup finely diced onion
  • 1 cup finely diced celery
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 10 cups chicken stock
  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 cups chopped collard greens, tough stems removed
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep
  2. Drain the rinsed black-eyed peas. No soaking is required.
  3. Wash the greens thoroughly, remove the thick stems, and chop the leaves into bite-size pieces.
  4. Cook
  5. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
  6. Stir in the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  7. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the black-eyed peas and red pepper flakes.
  8. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook until the peas are nearly tender. Begin checking after 1 hour; older dried peas may require 2 hours or longer. Stir occasionally and add a little water if the liquid becomes too concentrated.
  9. Stir in the collard greens and thyme. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the greens are tender and the peas are creamy inside without a firm center.
  10. Finish and Serve
  11. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste before adding the salt, since the sausage and stock may provide enough seasoning. Add black pepper as desired.
  12. For a thicker soup, mash a small portion of the peas against the side of the pot and stir them back into the broth. For a thinner soup, add a little more stock or water.
  13. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
  14. Slow Cooker Instructions: Beautiful 10-in-1 Electric Multi-Cooker Method
  15. Use the Sear/Sauté and Slow Cook functions on Drew Barrymore's Beautiful 10-in-1 Electric Multi-Cooker. The appliance includes both settings. Beautiful™
  16. Select Sear/Sauté and add the olive oil. Brown the sausage for 4-5 minutes with the lid off. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook for 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for the final 30 seconds.
  17. Cancel Sear/Sauté. Add the rinsed, unsoaked peas, red pepper flakes, and 8 cups of the chicken stock, reserving the remaining 2 cups. Slow cooking requires less liquid because less moisture evaporates. Keep the contents below the appliance's maximum fill line.
  18. Cover and select Slow Cook, LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. These are estimated cooking times; check the peas toward the early end of the range and continue cooking if their centers remain firm.
  19. When the peas are nearly tender, stir in the collard greens and thyme. Cook on HIGH for another 30-60 minutes, until both the greens and peas are tender.
  20. Add enough reserved stock to reach your preferred consistency, then allow the soup to heat through. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and black pepper before serving.

Equipment

Notes

  • Sausage substitutions: Use fully cooked smoked sausage, kielbasa, or smoked turkey sausage in place of andouille. Omit the red pepper flakes for a milder soup.
  • Greens substitutions: Mustard greens or kale can replace the collards. Start checking them after 10-15 minutes on the stovetop, since they may soften sooner.
  • Thyme substitution: Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme in place of fresh; add it with the stock.
  • Serving suggestions: Serve with cornbread, crusty bread, or cooked white rice. A vinegar-based slaw pairs well with the sausage and peas.
  • Storage: Refrigerate in shallow, airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use within 3-4 days. Add a splash of stock or water when reheating, since the peas absorb broth as they sit.

••Freezing: Cool promptly and freeze in meal-size containers for up to 3 months, leaving room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout.

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About Jennifer

I’m Jennifer Locklin, author and owner of Jennifer Cooks. I am a trained chef and passionate about good food, cooking for family and friends, and creating recipes that form lasting memories from one generation to the next. I hope you find inspiration for cooking and creating here!

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