Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage (Printable View)

Hearty 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)

# 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 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. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner without the stress or the takeout box.
  • Black-eyed peas and sausage together hit that perfect note between hearty and light, filling without weighing you down.
  • The flavors deepen as it sits, so it tastes even better the next day or whenever you reheat it.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing the canned peas—the starchy liquid makes the soup cloudy and overly thick, turning something bright into something dull.
  • The sausage will continue releasing fat as it cooks, which is flavor, but if there's a visible pool of grease on top after browning, drain some of it before adding vegetables.
03 -
  • Use a mix of mild and spicy sausage if you want balanced heat without committing fully to either—it gives complexity rather than one-note pepper.
  • Save the broth from canned peas to use in other soups or grains if you want to reduce waste, though rinsed peas make this soup clearer and cleaner tasting.
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