Well Texas weather has done it again!
Yesterday, got up to 80 degrees! Perfect patio weather, perfect cool beverage weather, perfect get out and enjoy the great outdoors weather. Not so perfect soup weather!
But because today is cooler and much colder weather is expected soon. And since, most of the rest of you are freezing and because January is National Soup Month, I have a souper, slow cooker soup recipe for you today!
Growing up in Texas it has been instilled in me to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, for good luck and prosperity in the new year. And even though black-eyed peas are a popular southern food, I really only ever think to eat them on New Year’s Day.
But since the black-eyed pea is so affordable and readily available (and to my taste buds, delicious!), why can’t they be enjoyed year round??
I have made this Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Pea Soup every year on New Years Day for at least the last 8-9 years. But this soup is so easy and is so budget friendly that I have started making it more often during these soup weather months.
The great thing about this soup (besides being a slow cooker meal and so easy and affordable) is that you can add whatever meat you have on hand or even omit the meat all together for a vegetarian meal. I usually use leftover ham or smoked turkey (highly recommend the smoked turkey to add a nice punch of flavor), since we usually have some in the freezer from the holidays, but sausage would be equally scrumptious in this soup; especially served with Brown Butter Cornbread.
I’m off to make soup and start the “let’s eat black-eyed peas year round” movement.
Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Pea Soup
This easy and flavor Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Pea Soup is perfect for the New Year and all soup season long.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups cooked ham, sausage or smoked turkey, chopped or shredded (omit for vegetarian/vegan)
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
Rinse and sort peas in a large pot, picking out any broken or discolored peas. Cover peas with two inches of hot water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse peas.*
To the slow cooker, add the pre-soaked black-eyed peas, broth, seasonings, ham, sausage or turkey and vegetables.
Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 5 hours. Add additional broth to soup, if needed, during cooking process. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed before serving.
*Note: Black-eyed peas can be soaked 6-24 hours in advance. Rinse and sort black-eyed peas in a large pot, picking out any broken or discolored peas. Cover black-eyed peas with two inches of hot water. Cover, place in refrigerator (if you live in a humid climate) or leave on the counter top (if you live in a dry climate) and allow black-eyed peas to soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.
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