Black-Eyed Peas, Sausage, and Collard Greens Soup

Ingredients:

4 bunches of collard greens (washed, with ends removed, roughly chopped)

2 lbs pork sausage links (or sausage of your choice, cooked in a skillet)

2 small cartons of chicken stock

1 ½ teaspoons of minced garlic

1 large can of Rotel tomatoes (for a slight kick and flavor)

3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

Sugar (a small amount, just enough to balance out the bitterness of the collard greens)

1 ½ cups of water (more if needed during cooking)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Optional: A dash of hot sauce (for a spicy kick)

This combination of ingredients gives you a warm and hearty meal with layers of flavor, from the savory sausage to the tangy vinegar, complemented by the smoothness of the black-eyed peas and the richness of the collard greens.

How to Make New Year’s Soup: Black-Eyed Peas, Sausage, and Collard Greens

Now that you have all your ingredients ready, let’s walk through the simple process of making this delicious and nourishing soup. The best part? It’s all done in a slow cooker, making it the perfect “set it and forget it” dish.

Step 1: Soak the Black-Eyed Peas

Start by soaking your dry black-eyed peas for a few hours. While some people prefer to soak beans overnight, this recipe uses a quick soak method. Soak the peas for a few hours in warm water to help them cook faster and soften up. If you’re short on time, you can skip soaking altogether and just add extra water during the cooking process.

Step 2: Prepare the Collard Greens

Next, take your collard greens, wash them thoroughly, and remove the tough stems. Cut the greens into rough, large pieces—don’t chop them too finely. Collard greens are hearty, and the larger pieces will hold up better during the slow cooking process, allowing their rich flavor to infuse the soup without turning mushy.

Step 3: Cook the Sausage

In a skillet, cook your pork sausage or sausage links of your choice. Once fully cooked, crumble or slice the sausage into smaller pieces. The sausage adds a savory depth to the soup, and its fat helps to enhance the flavor of the collard greens as they cook.

Step 4: Assemble the Soup in the Crockpot

Now, it’s time to bring everything together in the crockpot. Add the soaked black-eyed peas, cooked sausage, and collard greens into your slow cooker.

Next, pour in the chicken stock and add the minced garlic, Rotel tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and tomato paste. Stir everything together to combine the ingredients evenly. The Rotel tomatoes bring a slight heat and tang to the dish, while the apple cider vinegar adds a balanced acidity to cut through the richness of the sausage and beans.

Step 5: Season and Adjust

Add sugar to taste. The sugar helps to counteract the natural bitterness of the collard greens, balancing out the  soup’s flavor profile. You don’t need much—just a tablespoon or less will do. After that, add salt and pepper to taste. Since you’ve already added seasoning from the sausage and chicken stock, start with a light hand, and adjust as needed.

If you enjoy a bit of spice, you can also add a dash of hot sauce for an extra kick, though this is optional.

Step 6: Add Water and Slow Cook

Pour in about 1 ½ cups of water to the slow cooker. You may need to add more water during the cooking process to keep the soup from becoming too thick, so feel free to taste it and adjust the consistency. Set the crockpot on low and cook the soup for at least 10 hours, or overnight if you prefer. The longer the soup cooks, the more the flavors will meld together, making it even more delicious.

Step 7: Taste and Adjust Seasoning

Once the cooking time is up, taste your soup. At this point, you can adjust the seasoning and water to suit your preferences. If the soup is too thick, add more water. If you feel it needs more salt, pepper, or vinegar, feel free to make those adjustments. When you’re satisfied with the flavor, it’s time to serve.