Vegan Black Eyed Pea Soup with Kale

Name: Vegan Black Eyed Pea Soup with Kale
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 15 oz can of black eyed peas (rinsed and drained); 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 1 clove garlic (minced); 1 medium green pepper (diced); 2 stalks celery (diced); 2 carrots (peeled and diced); 15 oz can diced tomatoes; 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp thyme; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; 1/2 tsp paprika; 3 cups chopped kale; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (or more to taste); parsley (to garnish)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This vegan black-eyed pea soup combines a blend of vegetables in a tomato broth with hearty black-eyed peas and nutrient-dense kale for a flavorful winter soup perfect for ringing in the New Year!

Save This Recipe

Enter your email and we'll send this recipe to your inbox!

It’s almost the New Year! I can’t believe one year has ended, and a new one is about to begin. At this time of year, I like to look back at the past year, reflecting on what I’ve learned, the good times and the challenging ones, and look forward to new goals, new experiences, and new opportunities for growing.

A new tradition I thought I’d begin with this new year is preparing a dish made with black-eyed peas. Until recently, I didn’t know that Hoppin’ John was a traditional dish made in the South to ring in the new year.

Black-eyed peas are delicious and nutritious! They’re an excellent source of protein and packed with vitamins and nutrients. I added kale to this soup, my all-time favorite leafy green, for added nutrients and texture.

Why You’ll Love this Vegan Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Healthy: This soup is made with whole food and plant-based ingredients loaded with vitamins, minerals, nutrients, protein, and fiber.

Hearty and Delicious: All the peas, kale, and other veggies make this a filling, delicious recipe.

Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses staple ingredients in your kitchen or local grocery store.

Easy: It only takes 35 to 40 minutes to finish to make this recipe, and it’s mostly hands-off.

Ingredients and Notes

Vegan black-eyed pea soup ingredients: kale, green pepper, onion, canned diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, black-eyed peas, carrots, and celery, seasoning.

Black Eyed Peas: Black eyes peas are hearty and earthy with a meaty texture.

Vegetable: Called the trinity, yellow onion, bell pepper, and celery create an aromatic, flavorful profile. Carrots and kale add more flavor and texture.

Seasonings: A blend of bay leaf, thyme, cayenne, and paprika gives the peas bold flavor.

Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth: Vegetable broth gives the peas the liquid they need to simmer to tender perfection while adding more flavor.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for a complete list of ingredients and their exact amounts.

Substitutions and Variations

Black Eyed Peas: You can prep dried black-eyed peas, or use a 15 oz can, drained and rinsed, or get prepped black-eyed peas in the grocery store’s refrigerated section. I got mine in a pre-prepped package at Trader Joe’s.

Leafy Greens: Substitute your favorite leafy green if you’re not a fan of kale. Collard greens are the traditional green used with black-eyed peas, but you can also use spinach or Swiss chard.

How to Make Vegan Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Dice onion, green pepper, celery, and carrots.
Add ¼ cup of vegetable stock to the pot. Sauté onions on medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add green pepper, celery, and carrots. Sauté a further 5 minutes.
Add the remaining vegetable stock, diced tomatoes, and rinsed and drained black-eyed peas. Stir in spices and add bay leaf.
Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 20 minutes.
Stir in kale until wilted. Add salt to taste.

FAQ

Why do people eat black-eyed peas for New Year’s Day?

Black-eyed peas represent good luck, health, and prosperity, so people eat them for a healthy and prosperous year on New Year’s Eve.

Are black-eyed peas healthy?

Black-eyed peas are very healthy. They’re a good source of fiber, protein, iron, potassium, and various other vitamins and minerals.

Is this vegan black-eyed pea soup healthy?

It’s incredibly healthy, loaded with beans and vegetables in a light broth. It’s flavorful and packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

How do you cook dried black-eyed peas?

Add the peas to a large bowl. Then, enough water to cover the peas by four inches and soak them overnight. After that, drain and rinse them thoroughly. Then, add the beans to a large pot and cover with four inches of water. Bring the peas to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer them for 45 minutes to an hour, checking them for doneness after 45 minutes. Drain the peas and use them in your favorite recipes.

Expert Tips

Rinse and drain your black-eyed peas if you use canned or packaged. This will reduce the salt.
Add another cup of black-eyed peas for a more stew-like consistency.
Be gentle when stirring in the kale. The peas will be tender, and you don’t want to smash them.

Serving Suggestions

Black-eyed peas are traditionally served with collard green, which represents money. They’re also served with cornbread, which represents gold, and stewed tomatoes for wealth.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store for up to 4 days in an air-tight container.

Freezer: Store for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.

Reheat: Defrost the beans if frozen. Then, add them to a saucepan or pot and cook over medium-low heat until heated.

More Vegan Soup Recipes!

If you made this recipe, please comment below and leave a ⭐️ rating. You can also follow me on Instagram , Pinterest, and Facebook for more family-friendly vegan recipes!

Recipe

Comments

5 from 10 votes (4 ratings without comment)