Black Eyed Pea Soup is a lucky New Year’s tradition with smoked ham and collard greens in a flavorful broth.
Legend says if you eat 365 black eyed peas you will be lucky in the New Year. Each ingredient represents good fortune with the black eyed peas as coins, the collard greens as dollars and the ham as ‘cutting a fat hog‘.
There are so many New Year’s traditions around the world. From eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight in Spain to hanging an onion on your door in Greece. Our Polish relatives may be following in their New year’s traditions by taking an ice bath before dinner and keeping fish scales in their wallet for the year.
Whatever your family tradition is, we leave the old behind and move forward into the New Year with a fresh start. I often sit in my teepee and let the bad release up through the top and into the sky, leaving room for all the new adventures of the coming year. Thank you for all of your support.
Ingredients in Black Eyed Pea Soup
- Black Eyed Peas – Dried black eyed peas, soaked over night or quick boiled for 2-3 minutes.
- Collard Greens – A hand full or two of fresh collard greens, ribs removed.
- Smoked Ham Bone – A meaty, smoked ham bone leftover from holiday dinner.
- Carrots – Chopped carrots, I like to chop mine a little on the large side.
- Celery – Diced celery adds a fresh flavor.
- Garlic – Minced garlic or use the pre-minced stored in the fridge garlic.
- Bay Leaves – A couple bay leaves, just make sure to remove before eating.
- Thyme – A spring of thyme, remove stem after cooking.
- Serrano Pepper – Serrano pepper has a nice flavor with heat to liven up this hearty soup.
- Chicken Broth – Better Than Bouillon is the next best thing aside from homemade.
- White Wine – Not necessary, but adds a little extra flavor.
Related Recipes
From hearty Out West Cowboy Steak Chili with pinto beans, steak and poblano peppers, to creamy Smoky Potato Leek Soup topped with crispy bacon and soul soothing Portuguese Caldo Verde with kale, sausage and potatoes, these soups will get you through the cold winter.
Black Eyed Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. bacon grease
- 1 cup yellow sweet onion diced
- 1 cup carrot chopped
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 tbsp. garlic minced
- 1 splash white wine
- 1 meaty ham bone
- 1 lb bag of dried black eyed peas soaked
- 8 cups good chicken broth
- 1/2 serrano pepper minced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 cups collard greens chiffonade
Instructions
- Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic in bacon grease over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Splash about 1/4 cup white wine in the pot and cook until absorbed.
- Add meaty ham bone, black eyed peas, chicken broth, serrano pepper, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
- Add collard greens and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Remove ham bone and soup is ready to serve.
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