It is said that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day brings good luck, but this black-eyed pea soup brings nourishment any day of the year! A smoky, tomato-based broth is filled with vegetables, spices, black-eyed peas, greens, and rice for a hearty and comforting low-fat dish that also happens to be gluten free and oil free.
Black-eyed peas may or may not bring you luck, but you're sure to feel nourished and satisfied after a bowl of this hearty soup. Packed with fiber, antioxidants, and a slew of vitamins and minerals, this soup is smoky, lightly spicy, and filling.
Pair this dish with cornbread, crusty bread, or even your favorite grilled cheese sandwich for a meal you can enjoy any day of the year - not just New Year's Day.
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Ingredients
A variety of herbs, spices, and seasonings are used to create a deep flavor profile, while pantry staples like canned beans, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth provide the bulk for this Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Soup recipe.
I recommend you mix the dry spices first then set the mixture to the side, to avoid having to open all your spice jars in the "heat" of the moment when everything is on the stove.
- Yellow onion
- Celery ribs - include the leaves for extra flavor
- Green bell pepper
- Jalapeno - remove the ribs and seeds for less spice
- Fresh garlic
- Smoked paprika - one of the most-used spices in my pantry, it lends a beautiful smoky undertone to dishes (and is excellent on avocado toast, too!)
- Onion powder & garlic powder
- Dried oregano, basil, & thyme
- Salt & pepper
- Cayenne pepper (optional) - for spice lovers!
- Bay leaf - be sure to remove them before serving the soup. Bay leaves are for imparting flavor into a dish, but must not be consumed directly.
- Canned black-eyed peas - drained and rinsed. You can substitute an equal amount of fresh cooked if you prefer. A can contains approximately 1.5 cups, so use 3 cups of fresh cooked for this recipe. P.S. Black-eyed peas are actually a type of bean, and are not truly a pea.
- Canned diced tomatoes - with their juices. I love the way fire roasted tomatoes taste in this soup so use those if you can get them!
- Vegetable broth - you can use boxed broth, homemade, or bouillon plus water. Use an oil-free brand if preferred.
- Tamari - a gluten-free sauce with a flavor profile mimicking soy sauce. It adds a depth to the soup, as well as umami flavor. Feel free to use soy sauce if you don't need this to be gluten free.
- Liquid smoke - despite it's exotic sound, this is an inexpensive liquid seasoning that can be found near the BBQ sauces in most grocery stores. A bottle will last you many months and comes in very handy. I love the flavor it imparts.
- White rice - precooked. I like to make a batch in my rice cooker on Sundays and use it in various ways throughout the week. Use brown rice or any other similar-size cooked grain. Farro and barley would both be excellent, but are not gluten free.
- Leafy greens - I use collard greens here, but any study leafy green will work. Try green cabbage, kale, or mustard greens. Just be sure to remove any stems and finely chop it first.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This soup comes together easily and only needs to simmer for 20 minutes thanks to precooked rice and beans (the black-eyed peas). You'll have dinner on the table in no time!
Make the dry spice mix and set aside.
Heat a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add vegetable broth, water, or oil for sautéing.
Once heated, add the onions and salt and let them cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the celery, green pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are nearly translucent.
Add the dry spice mixture that you made earlier. Stir together and let it cook for about 1 minute longer.
Reduce heat to low. Add the drained beans, undrained tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Stir in the tamari and liquid smoke. Let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Add the chopped greens and cooked rice. Allow everything to simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the greens are tender. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Serve hot with cornbread, grilled cheese, or crusty bread.
Variations
- Spicy - add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the dry spice blend and leave the ribs and seeds in the jalapeno
- No spice - Leave out the jalapeno and the cayenne pepper.
- Level up - add slices or crumbles of your favorite veggie sausage to the pan when you add the celery and peppers.
Storage
Allow the soup to cool completely before storing so it doesn't bring down the internal temperature of your refrigerator. This soup will keep for 5-6 days in a sealed container in the fridge, or in the freezer for 3 months.
Reheat in a saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave.
Top tip
The smokiness really makes this soup special! You can get by without the liquid smoke, but please don't substitute regular sweet paprika for the smoked paprika as they do not taste the same and the end result will be quite different than what is intended.
📖 Recipe
Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Soup (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven or Soup Pot
Ingredients
Spice Blend
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for more heat
- 2 bay leaf left whole
Soup
- 2 teaspoon water for sauteeing. Use olive oil if preferred.
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 ribs celery chopped
- 1 large green pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth oil free if preferred
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) black eyed peas drained and rinsed
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire roasted diced tomatoes do not drain
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce if not gluten free
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke optional, but recommended
- 1 cup cooked rice white or brown as preferred
- 2 packed cups collard greens or other sturdy greens like cabbage or kale, destemmed and finely chopped
Instructions
Prep/Mise en Place
- Gather all ingredients and set on work surface. Open all cans. Drain and rinse the beans. Chop vegetables to the sizes indicated. Open all spice jars.
Make the Spice Blend
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the ground dry spices then set the bowl aside with the whole bay leaves. NOTE: the salt will be used separately and is not included in the spice blend.1 tablespoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 bay leaf
Make the Soup
- Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
- Add 2 teaspoon water (use olive oil if preferred), the onions, and the salt. Let cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 teaspoon water, 1 medium yellow onion, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the celery, green pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 5 more minutes until the onions start to turn translucent.4 ribs celery, 1 large green pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeno pepper
- Stir in the spice blend you made earlier and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring continually.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the vegetable broth, black-eyed peas, and undrained diced tomatoes. Stir in the tamari and liquid smoke.4 cups vegetable broth, 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) black eyed peas, 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tamari, ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- Partially cover (leave the lid cracked open a bit), and allow to simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover and stir in the cooked rice and finely chopped greens of your choice. Replace lid, leaving it cracked open a bit, and simmer ten minutes longer until greens are tender.1 cup cooked rice, 2 packed cups collard greens
- Remove bay leaves. Serve hot with cornbread, crusty bread, or grilled cheese.
Notes
- Spicy - add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the dry spice blend and leave the ribs and seeds in the jalapeno
- No spice - Leave out the jalapeno and the cayenne pepper.
- Level up - add slices or crumbles of your favorite veggie sausage to the pan when you add the celery and peppers.
Nutrition
More One-Pot Recipes
Love soup and saucy things that require just one pot to make? Me too! Here are some of my personal favorites that I think you'll love as well:
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I am always so grateful when you take the time to leave a rating. Your ratings help others see my recipes and give you an opportunity to leave feedback and ask questions. Thank you!
Jo
Really loved this. The smokiness was perfect. Thank you!