Black-Eyed Peas and Bacon Soup (Printable version)

Tender peas and crisp bacon simmered with vegetables in a smoky light broth for ultimate comfort.

# 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

# Directions:

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 set aside, retaining 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 the black-eyed peas, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Bring to a 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 the peas are tender and flavors have melded.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with reserved bacon and chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners don't have to feel rushed or complicated.
  • The bacon does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you can't really mess this up even if you're new to cooking soup.
  • Leftover portions taste even better the next day when everything melds together in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip rendering the bacon fat properly because that's where nearly all the flavor comes from in the first place.
  • If you use dried peas, soaking them overnight isn't just about cooking time—it makes them cook more evenly and prevents that grainy texture some people complain about.
03 -
  • If your bacon is very fatty or very lean, adjust the amount slightly so you have about two tablespoons of rendered fat left in the pot—that's the sweet spot for flavor without greasiness.
  • Toast the paprika gently in the fat for just a few seconds before adding the broth to deepen its smoky flavor even more.
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