Hearty soup featuring tender black-eyed peas, smoky bacon, and vegetables simmered in a light, savory broth.
# What You’ll Need:
→ 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
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté in the bacon fat until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in black-eyed peas, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Bring to a rolling boil.
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 peas are tender and flavors meld.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and chopped parsley before serving.
