This Black Eyed Peas and Greens Soup recipe combines the classic rice and black eyed peas from southern Hoppin' John, with sausage and loads of fresh spinach.
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 50 minutesminutes
Total Time 55 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Ingredients
1poundbulk pork sausage with sage(recommend Jimmy Dean or Tennessee Pride)
1ribcelerydiced
½sweet red pepperchopped
1small onionchopped
4cupschicken broth or stockdivided use
1package brown and wild rice seasoned mix(recommend Zatarain)
31.6ouncescanned black eyed peasdrained ( two 15.8 ounce cans - Bush's brand recommended)
29ouncescanned diced tomatoes with liquid(two 14.5 ounce cans)
1cupwater
1 ½teaspoonssalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
6ouncesfresh baby spinach
Parmesan cheeseshaved, optional
Sliced green onionsoptional
Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook until all traces of pink are gone.
Add 1 cup chicken stock, celery, sweet red pepper and onion.
Stir well, scraping the bottom to release any cooked on bits.
Cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, in a large soup or stock pot set over medium-high heat, add the remaining 3 cups of chicken stock, the rice mix with its seasoning packet and the black eyed peas.
Bring to a boil.
Add in the sausage and vegetable mixture along with the tomatoes, water, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
Bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is done.
Add the spinach and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and sliced green onion. Serve with cornbread.
Notes
Use bulk pork sausage, not in casings and not smoked. My preferred brands are Jimmy Dean and Odom's Tennessee Pride.