Black Eyed Pea Vegetable Soup

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You can use either navy beans or black-eyed peas in this hearty soup that is full of potatoes, carrots, celery, and kale. The protein and fat from the bacon and chicken stock make a broth that is sooo SATISFYING and FLAVORFUL. This black eyed pea vegetable soup is delicious any time of year, but it feels especially nourishing on a cold night.

I’ve always enjoyed a good vegetable soup, but noticed that it seemed like every vegetable soup had the same tomato-ey flavor. I wanted to come up with a vegetable soup that was full of yummy vegetables but wasn’t tomato-based. So I came up with this recipe featuring smoky, earthy black eyed peas! (I love black eyed peas and grew up eating them in recipes like this one — Easy Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Rice)

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium Carrots, chopped
• 3-4 stalks Celery, chopped
• 4-5 Red Potatoes, diced
• 2 15 oz. cans of black-eyed peas or navy beans, drained
• 12 oz. good-quality raw bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
  • I use Coleman Hickory Smoked bacon since it doesn’t have any nitrates, nitrites, artificial colors, or artificial flavors.
• 2 qts. good-quality chicken stock (either salted or unsalted works…just salt to taste!)
  • I like Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Stock (Unsalted) because it does not contain “chicken flavoring” like so many other chicken broths and stocks do.
  • The Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Bone Broth (Unsalted) is also good and high in protein (but it can more expensive than the stock).
  • The Pacific Foods Chicken “Broth” does contain the “chicken flavoring”. Just something to keep in mind as you decide what food products are best for you 🙂
• 2-3 packed cups of Kale- destemmed and roughly chopped
• drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt (or to taste).
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
  • white pepper has a robust warmth that is perfect for creating full-bodied soups
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • if you prefer chopped onion rather than onion powder, chop a small yellow onion and saute it along with the carrots, celery, and potatoes. I use onion powder for dietary reasons 🙂
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Why You Will Love This Black Eyed Pea VegetableSoup

• Satisfying and Hearty– The bacon and seasonings create a rich broth that is satisfying and full of flavor.
• Simple– All you need to do is chop a few vegetables and the bacon (which you could even chop in advance and store in a container in the refrigerator until the day you want to make the soup).
• Lots of Vegetables!– carrots, celery, kale, potatoes…You can feel great about all the veggies that you are getting in this soup.
• Amazing Leftovers– Honestly the leftovers taste even better. Make this pot of soup and keep in the fridge or freezer for busy days when you need a nourishing meal but don’t have the time or energy to cook one.

Tips

• Saute the veggies until they start to brown for good flavor. Don’t be alarmed if you start to see them stick to the bottom of the pot! Once you are at this point, add in the chopped raw bacon, canned beans, and chicken stock.
• The best part about a soup recipe like this is that it is easy to customize the ingredients. You can add more of one veggie and less of another. You can use chopped onion rather than onion powder. You could add double the beans if you’d like, etc.
• Take into consideration whether you are using salted or unsalted chicken stock. If you are using salted chicken stock, you’ll probably need less salt. If using unsalted stock, you’ll need more salt. Feel free to salt to taste!

Ways to Enjoy Black Eyed Pea Vegetable Soup

Enjoy a steaming bowl of this delicious soup for a warming, nourishing lunch or dinner. Serve it with cornbread or a slice of freshly baked sourdough bread with butter and honey. Yum!

How to Make Black Eyed Pea and Vegetable Soup

First, slice the carrots into coins, chop the celery, and dice the potatoes into approximately 1/2″ cubes. (Chop the yellow onion as well if you want to use onion rather than onion powder).

In a large pot, heat a hearty drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, (onion, if desired), and potatoes, and saute them until they start to brown. While browning, add the sea salt, white pepper, onion powder (if not using chopped onion), and garlic powder.

Once the veggies are starting to brown, add in the chopped raw bacon and 2 cans of black eyed peas or navy beans. Stir to incorporate everything.

Next, add the 2 qts. of chicken stock. Turn the stove to high heat and bring the soup to a boil.

Once the soup reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low, and let the soup simmer for approximately 1 hour.

After an hour of simmering, turn off the heat, and add the chopped kale into the soup. You will see the kale wilt pretty quickly.

Serve, and enjoy this hearty, nourishing, DELICIOUS soup! Especially perfect for cooler weather 🙂

Want More Nourishing and Delicious Recipes?

• Pot Roast with Sweet Potatoes (Foolproof!)
• Savory Beef and Kale with Roasted Butternut Squash
• The BEST Colombian Red Beans
• Easy Sheet Pan Potatoes with Bacon and Asparagus
• Simple Lemon Chicken Pasta

Shop this Post

• Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Stock (Unsalted) – no “chicken flavoring”
• Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Bone Broth (Unsalted) – no “chicken flavoring”
• White Pepper (this is my favorite brand for best flavor)

Hey! I’m so glad you’re here. Give this recipe 5 stars if you try it and love it.

Wherever you find yourself today…take time to nourish yourself — body, mind, and soul <3

Warmly, Caroline