Vegan Black-Eyed Pea Soup

This hearty vegan black eyed pea soup with collard greens and creole spices will transport you to New Orleans. Excellent for meal-prep and freezer-friendly, it's a savory comfort dish made using plant-based protein. Pair it with cornbread for the perfect weeknight meal or New Year's celebration!

This vegan black eyed pea soup is so simple to make - with deep, savory flavor - making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Just a few simple ingredients are all you need to make this hearty, smoky, and flavorful soup. The creole seasoning is so delicious - a variety of earthy herbs and spices and just the tiniest bit of heat, and the black-eyed peas provide plant-based protein.

Make a pan of fluffy sourdough cornbread to pair with this hearty soup. The slightly sweet cornbread pairs perfectly with the spices and gentle heat in the creole seasoning. It will transport you to New Orleans in no time.

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why This Soup Is The Best
• 🍅 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🥄 How To Make Vegan Black Eyed Pea Soup
• 🍴 Storage Instructions
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
• 🍽 How to Serve Black-Eyed Pea Soup
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🥣 More Soup Recipes
• Vegan Black Eyed Pea Soup

⭐️ Why This Soup Is The Best

• Hearty, smoky, savory, earthy, and spicy black-eyed pea soup
• Perfect for meal prep - enjoy it throughout the week!
• Vegetarian and vegan soup that's high in fiber, protein, and nutrient-rich; naturally gluten-free and dairy-free
• Make-ahead instructions provided
• Easy soup recipe with just 10 minutes of prep time

🍅 Ingredient Notes

• Black-eyed peas - Also known as cowpeas, they're not peas at all! Black-eyed peas are part of the legume family and are classified as beans. They're an excellent source of protein, fiber, as well as being nutrient-dense. They are considered a staple food in Southern cuisine and are often served on New Year's Day. I recommend using dried black eyed peas but you can use canned if necessary.
• Collard greens - Although collards are traditionally used with black-eyed peas for color (and "paper money" in the Southern tradition), you can substitute your favorite dark leafy greens here, like kale or Swiss chard.
• Garlic - I highly recommend using fresh garlic for optimal flavor.
• Yellow onion - White or red onion can be substituted for a similar flavor, or 2-3 shallots will work as well.
• Tomato. This recipe calls for canned tomatoes, but you can use fresh tomatoes (roughly 3 cups, diced) as well.
• Creole seasoning - A spice blend that's commonly used in Creole cuisine, which is thought to hail from the New Orleans part of Louisiana. Each home cook typically has their own unique blend, but it typically consists of paprika, garlic, thyme, oregano, cayenne, and black pepper. (If you don't have this spice blend in your pantry, you can make Emeril's creole seasoning!)

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Grains. Add 1 cup of (cooked) brown rice, white rice, barley, or quinoa for a heartier meal.
• Protein. Although this soup is already protein-rich because of the black-eyed peas, feel free to bump it up by adding tofu, chickpeas, or another type of bean.
• Canned black-eyed peas. (2 15-ounce cans) can be used in place of dried black-eyed peas.

🥄 How To Make Vegan Black Eyed Pea Soup

Place black-eyed peas in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover by 2 inches.

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, skim off any foam, and partially cover. Simmer just until tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp. of the salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add celery and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, creole seasoning, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and the black-eyed peas to the saucepan, stir, and bring to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Add collard greens and cook until wilted, around 3 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if desired. Serve warm with cornbread.

🍴 Storage Instructions

Cover soup and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How to freeze: Make sure your soup has cooled completely before transferring it to a large freezer-safe sealed bag; store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• I recommend using dried black-eyed peas if possible. If you are short on time, you can use canned (pre-cooked) beans, but they don't have the same taste and texture. Always be sure to drain and rinse your canned beans.
• How to reheat: Place soup in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until heated through.
• Make ahead. Cook your black-eyed peas ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to prepare soup.

🍽 How to Serve Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Pair your soup with a side of bread, like cornbread, biscuits, or sourdough naan

Serve it with a light side salad, like cucumber salad

Garnish it with roasted jalapeños

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🥣 More Soup Recipes

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