Ham Black Eyed Pea Soup (Printable Version)

Smoky ham, black-eyed peas, and vegetables simmered to create a rich, flavorful Southern dish.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 cups cooked ham, diced
02 - 1 ham bone, optional for enhanced flavor

→ Legumes

03 - 2 cups dried black-eyed peas or 3 cans drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 2 large carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
09 - 1 bay leaf

→ Liquids

10 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 2 cups water

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste
16 - 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

# Steps:

01 - If using dried black-eyed peas, rinse thoroughly and soak overnight in abundant cold water. Drain and rinse before cooking.
02 - Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, cooking until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in diced ham and ham bone if using. Cook for 2 minutes.
05 - Add black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, water, bay leaf, paprika, thyme, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir thoroughly.
06 - Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour if using dried peas or 30 minutes if using canned, until peas reach desired tenderness.
07 - Remove ham bone if used. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnishing with fresh parsley or green onions if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It fills your whole house with a warm, savory aroma that makes everyone ask what youre cooking the moment they walk in.
  • The texture is pure comfort—creamy peas, tender vegetables, and smoky ham all speaking the same delicious language.
  • One pot does all the work while you do something else, and it tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Dont skip soaking dried peas overnight if youre using them—it actually cuts cooking time and makes them more digestible and less likely to break apart into mush.
  • Taste the broth before you add salt, because ham is already salty and canned tomatoes vary wildly in their sodium content, so you might need less than the recipe suggests.
03 -
  • Start with less salt than you think you need, because as the soup simmers, the liquid reduces and the saltiness concentrates—you can always taste and add more.
  • If you accidentally made it too thick, thin it with a little more broth or water stirred in slowly while it simmers, rather than all at once.
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