Southern-Style Black-Eyed Peas (Print Version)

Smoky sausage and bacon-studded black-eyed peas simmered in Creole spices. A traditional Southern comfort dish perfect for celebrations.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 8 oz smoked sausage such as Andouille or Kielbasa, sliced
02 - 4 oz thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Legumes

03 - 1 lb dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup water

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for heat
14 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

→ Finishing

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Hot sauce, to serve

# How to Make It:

01 - Place dried black-eyed peas in a large bowl and cover with water to soak overnight, then drain and rinse before cooking. Alternatively, for a quick soak, cover peas with boiling water, let stand 1 hour, then drain and rinse.
02 - In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels.
03 - Add the sliced sausage to the same pot and sauté until browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
04 - In the same pot, add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Stir in the soaked black-eyed peas, chicken broth, water, bay leaves, smoked paprika, dried thyme, cayenne pepper if desired, black pepper, and kosher salt.
06 - Return the cooked bacon and sausage to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until peas are tender and the broth is flavorful.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt as needed. Remove bay leaves. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley immediately before serving.
08 - Serve hot with hot sauce on the side. Traditionally enjoyed over steamed rice or with cornbread on the side.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It fills your home with the kind of smoky, savory aroma that makes people wander into the kitchen asking what's for dinner.
  • The peas soak up all that sausage and bacon flavor, turning soft and creamy without falling apart.
  • It's the kind of one-pot wonder that gets better the longer it sits, which means leftovers taste even richer the next day.
  • You can walk away from the stove for an hour and come back to something that tastes like you fussed over it all afternoon.
02 -
  • Don't skip sorting the dried peas, I once bit down on a pebble and learned that lesson the hard way.
  • If the broth tastes flat after simmering, it probably needs more salt. Add it in small pinches and taste between each one.
  • Soaking the peas isn't optional if you want them to cook evenly. Unsoaked peas take forever and some stay stubbornly hard.
03 -
  • Cook the bacon until it's crisp but not brittle, you want it to hold up through the long simmer.
  • If the peas start to look dry during cooking, add water a half cup at a time. The broth should always cover them.
  • Taste the peas toward the end of cooking, they should be creamy inside but still hold their shape.
  • A splash of apple cider vinegar stirred in just before serving brightens the whole pot.
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