Black-Eyed Peas and Bacon (Printable)

Comforting bowl featuring tender peas, crisp bacon, and vegetables in a smoky light broth.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 8 oz smoked bacon, diced

→ Legumes

02 - 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained, or 3 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, preserving the rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the pot. Sauté in the bacon fat until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the black-eyed peas, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes if using soaked dried peas, or 20 minutes if using canned peas, until the peas are tender and flavors have melded.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust salt as needed to achieve desired seasoning balance.
06 - Ladle soup into individual bowls and sprinkle with reserved bacon and fresh chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bacon fat does all the heavy lifting, turning simple vegetables into something that smells irresistible before you even add the peas.
  • It's naturally hearty enough to feel like a complete meal, but light enough that you won't need to nap afterward.
  • One pot, minimal fuss, and it tastes even better the next day when the flavors have settled in together.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the bacon fat if you rendered too much, or your soup will taste slick instead of rich, but do preserve at least a tablespoon because that's where the entire personality lives.
  • If you use dried peas, soak them overnight because trying to cook unsoaked peas is like asking them to cooperate before they're ready, and they'll turn your broth cloudy and cook unevenly.
03 -
  • If you're using canned peas, don't drain the liquid into the pot, it can make everything taste tinny instead of clean and bright.
  • The soup thickens as it sits, so if you're serving it the next day, thin it with a little broth and taste again, because salt intensifies overnight.
Return