Black-Eyed Peas and Bacon (Print Version)

Comforting smoky soup with tender black-eyed peas, crisp bacon, and vegetables in a light flavorful broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, preserving 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 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 peas are tender and flavors meld.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt as needed for optimal seasoning.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and chopped parsley before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The bacon fat does all the heavy lifting, making every vegetable taste a thousand times better than it has any right to.
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means you can go from craving comfort food to actually eating it without much fuss.
  • One pot means one pot to wash, and that alone might be reason enough to make this tonight.
02 -
  • If you use canned peas, you can have this soup ready in about 35 minutes total; dried peas need overnight soaking but taste noticeably better and give the broth more body.
  • The smoked paprika is what separates this from a regular pea soup—don't leave it out, and don't confuse it with regular paprika, which tastes completely different.
03 -
  • Make this soup a day ahead and let it sit in the fridge overnight—the flavors deepen and the whole thing tastes even better the next day.
  • If your soup gets too thick, thin it with broth or water; if it's too thin, just let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce slightly.
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