Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Dumplings (Print Version)

Comforting Southern stew with black-eyed peas, smoked sausage, and fluffy buttermilk cornmeal dumplings for a hearty meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Stew

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 12 oz smoked sausage, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 medium carrot, diced
07 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
08 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 2 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt, to taste

→ For the Dumplings

16 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
17 - 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
18 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
19 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
20 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
21 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
22 - 3/4 cup buttermilk

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bell pepper to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Pour in chicken broth. Stir in black-eyed peas, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne if using, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in melted butter and buttermilk until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
05 - Remove the bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt and pepper.
06 - Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter (approximately 2 tablespoons each) onto the simmering stew. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid while dumplings are steaming.
07 - Serve the stew hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without fuss: one pot, six servings, and everyone gets those pillowy dumplings they dream about.
  • The sausage does the heavy lifting: skip the complicated seasoning blends because the smoky broth builds flavor while you prep vegetables.
  • Dumplings trump biscuits every time: the cornmeal makes them sturdier and more interesting than standard dumpling dough.
02 -
  • The lid stays on during dumpling cooking: I learned this the hard way by peeking and ruining an entire batch—the steam escapes and your dumplings sink instead of float.
  • Don't overmix the dumpling batter: This is where most people stumble; lumpy is good, smooth is bad, and the batter should look shaggy and rough before hitting the stew.
03 -
  • Let sausage brown properly before stirring: patience here creates the flavorful crust that makes your broth taste like it simmered all day.
  • Keep buttermilk and butter at room temperature: cold dairy works against you in the dumpling batter, leading to lumps that don't cook through evenly.
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