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Quick Black-Eyed Pea & Collard Greens New Year Soup

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A quick and easy black-eyed pea and collard greens soup that comes together in under 45 minutes, perfect for a lucky New Year’s meal without the fuss. This soulful, smoky soup is proof that you don’t need all day to cook a tradition.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large bunch collard greens (about 8–10 ounces), stems removed and leaves chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for heat
  • Hot sauce for serving
  • Cornbread or crusty bread for dipping
  • Chopped green onions or fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prep the collard greens: Wash the collard leaves thoroughly under cold water. Stack 3-4 leaves, roll tightly like a cigar, and slice crosswise into ½-inch ribbons. Discard the tough stems. Set aside.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or bacon fat in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and starts to brown at the edges, about 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
  3. Build the flavor base: Pour in the apple cider vinegar and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds until the vinegar smell mellows.
  4. Add the liquids and seasonings: Stir in the broth, fire-roasted tomatoes (with their juices), smoked paprika, thyme, black pepper, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.
  5. Add the collard greens: Add the chopped collard greens to the pot in handfuls, stirring them into the hot broth. They will wilt down quickly. Once all greens are in, let the soup simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until tender but still with a slight bite.
  6. Add the black-eyed peas: Stir in the drained and rinsed black-eyed peas. Let them heat through for about 5 minutes.
  7. Adjust and serve: Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or red pepper flakes if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with hot sauce and cornbread.

Notes

For a thicker, creamier texture, use an immersion blender to puree about 1 cup of the soup right in the pot before adding the peas. The soup tastes even better the next day. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and skip the bacon fat; add a splash of liquid smoke for smoky depth.

Nutrition

Keywords: black-eyed peas, collard greens, New Year soup, quick soup, lucky soup, Southern soup, comfort food

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/quick-black-eyed-pea-and-collard-greens-new-year-soup/