Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Dumplings (Print Version)

Savory black-eyed peas stew topped with fluffy cornmeal dumplings for ultimate comfort.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Stew

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 12 ounces 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 ounces 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 Steps:

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. 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 without overmixing.
05 - Remove the bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Drop spoonfuls of approximately 2 tablespoons each of dumpling batter onto the simmering stew. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through, without lifting the lid during steaming.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The dumplings soak up all the sausage-and-broth magic while staying impossibly light and pillowy.
  • It's the kind of meal that tastes like it took all day, but you'll have it on the table in just over an hour.
  • Black-eyed peas feel special and Southern without requiring you to plan ahead or soak anything overnight.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the dumpling batter—I learned this the hard way and made dumplings that felt more like hockey pucks than clouds.
  • The moment you drop those dumplings in is when you have to step away and trust the process; resisting the urge to check on them is half the battle but completely worth it.
03 -
  • Keep your chicken broth at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil when the dumplings are cooking—aggressive bubbling makes them break apart.
  • If your dumplings seem to be browning on top while still looking underdone underneath, lay a piece of parchment or foil loosely over the pot to slow the browning.
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