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Wholesome Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Greens Soup – Easy & Lucky

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A rich, smoky, and hearty soup made with black-eyed peas, collard greens, and smoked turkey. Perfect for New Year’s luck or any comforting meal.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1.5 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 smoked turkey leg or 2 smoked turkey wings (about 12–16 ounces total)
  • 1 cup dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 large bunch collard greens (about 8–10 ounces), stems removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch ribbons
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • Hot sauce for serving
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients first. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the celery and carrot, and strip the collard leaves from their stems. Roll the collard leaves up like a cigar and slice them into thin ribbons (about 1/2 inch wide).
  2. Heat the olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the smoked turkey to the pot. Nestle it down into the vegetables. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes per side, just to warm it through and release some of that smoky flavor into the oil.
  4. Pour in the broth and water, then add the rinsed black-eyed peas, bay leaf, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and cayenne if using. Stir everything together. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
  5. Add the collard greens after those 30 minutes. Stir them in—they’ll look like way too much at first, but they’ll wilt down significantly. Cover the pot again and let everything simmer for another 25-30 minutes, or until the peas are tender but not mushy and the collards are silky and tender.
  6. Remove the smoked turkey from the pot using tongs. Let it cool for a few minutes on a cutting board. Once it’s cool enough to handle, shred the meat off the bone, discarding the skin and bones. Return the shredded meat to the pot.
  7. Season and finish. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed. If you want more brightness, add the second tablespoon of vinegar.
  8. Let the soup rest for 5-10 minutes off the heat before serving. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with hot sauce on the side.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, skip the smoked turkey and add 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke plus 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika to the broth. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. For a gluten-free option, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as written—just double-check your broth label. The soup actually gets better the next day as the flavors continue to meld. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: black-eyed pea soup, collard greens soup, New Year's soup, lucky soup, soul food, comfort food, smoked turkey soup

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/wholesome-black-eyed-pea-and-collard-greens-soup-easy-and-lucky/