Southern Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Serves 6
Cooking Time 9 to 10 hours on Low or 6 to 7 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The slow cooker is the perfect environment for turning dried beans into a creamy,
flavorful soup. We wanted to take advantage of this with a classic Southern-style
black-eyed pea soup. To give our soup plenty of kick, we added Cajun seasoning and
kielbasa sausage. We used the microwave to bloom the seasoning for more flavor and
to jump-start the kielbasa as well as the onions, then we dumped them into the slow
cooker to simmer away with the beans and a combination of chicken broth and water.
The only prep the black-eyed peas needed was to be quickly picked over (to remove
any small stones or debris) and rinsed. Then we added them right into the slow cooker
where they gently simmered, absorbing the flavors of the sausage, aromatics, and seasonings,
until they were perfectly cooked. Collard greens, stirred in during the final 30 minutes
of cooking so they’d be just tender, and wild rice stirred in at the end, added color
and heft. Feel free to use leftover rice or precooked rice from the supermarket. Because
kielbasa can be quite salty, be careful when seasoning the soup with additional salt.
See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
2 |
cups chopped onions |
|
8 |
ounces kielbasa sausage, halved and sliced ½ inch thick |
|
1 |
tablespoon minced garlic |
|
1 |
teaspoon Cajun seasoning |
|
8 |
ounces dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed |
|
5 |
cups chicken broth |
|
2 |
cups water |
|
1 |
pound collard greens, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces |
|
1 |
cup cooked wild rice |
|
1 |
teaspoon hot sauce |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
1. Microwave onions, kielbasa, garlic, and Cajun seasoning in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in beans, broth, and water. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
2. Stir in collard greens, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in rice and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in hot sauce and season with salt, pepper, and extra hot sauce to taste. Serve.