Black-Eyed Peas With Smoked Turkey (Print Version)

Hearty black-eyed peas with tender smoked turkey, aromatic vegetables, and savory herbs for a comforting Southern dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Legumes and Vegetables

01 - 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
04 - 1 large carrot, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 bay leaf

→ Meats

07 - 1 pound smoked turkey wings or drumsticks

→ Liquids

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 2 cups water

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
13 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - Salt to taste
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

16 - Chopped fresh parsley
17 - Hot sauce

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.
02 - Add smoked turkey, black-eyed peas, bay leaf, smoked paprika, thyme, red pepper flakes, black pepper, broth, and water. Stir to combine.
03 - Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 60-75 minutes, or until black-eyed peas are tender and flavors are well developed. Skim off any foam as needed.
04 - Remove smoked turkey from the pot. Shred the meat from the bones, discarding skin and bones, and return the meat to the pot.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Remove bay leaf.
06 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a dash of hot sauce if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The smoked turkey keeps things lean but never boring—it's the secret that makes this feel indulgent without weighing you down.
  • One pot, minimal prep, and you've got something that tastes like it simmered for hours but takes about ninety minutes from start to finish.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you're not sacrificing anything to make it feel good in your body.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing and sorting the dried peas—I learned this the expensive way when I bit into a stone that had hidden in the bag.
  • The turkey releases so much flavor into the broth that you don't need to add extra salt at the beginning; taste at the very end, or you'll oversalt the whole pot.
03 -
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot so the heat distributes evenly and nothing sticks to the bottom—this matters more than you'd think.
  • If your black-eyed peas are from last year's harvest, they might need an extra fifteen minutes to soften; old dried beans are just slower, not broken.
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