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Lucky Southern Black-Eyed Pea Soup for New Year’s Day

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This rich, smoky, and deeply savory black-eyed pea soup is a Southern tradition for good luck in the new year. Made with a smoked ham hock, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a long, slow simmer, it’s the ultimate comfort food for a day of rest.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1 large smoked ham hock (about 1–1.5 pounds)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)
  • Fresh parsley or green onions, chopped, for garnish (optional)
  • Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. The night before, or at least 8 hours before cooking, place the dried black-eyed peas in a large bowl and cover with about 3 inches of cold water. Let soak overnight. Drain and rinse before using.
  2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the ham hock for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, scraping up browned bits, until vegetables are softened and onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices) and chicken broth. Add the bay leaves, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Stir to combine, scraping up any remaining bits from the bottom.
  5. Add the soaked and drained black-eyed peas to the pot. Stir gently. Place the seared ham hock back into the pot, nestling it into the liquid. Add more broth or water if needed to cover by about an inch.
  6. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the peas are very tender and the broth is rich and smoky.
  7. Carefully remove the ham hock from the pot using tongs. Let cool slightly, then shred the meat from the bone using two forks. Discard skin and large pieces of fat.
  8. Return the shredded ham hock meat to the pot. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 10 minutes. Serve in bowls over cooked white rice, if desired. Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions and a dash of hot sauce.

Notes

Soaking the peas overnight is highly recommended for even cooking and creamy texture. Season at the end to avoid over-salting from the ham hock. This soup tastes even better the next day. For a vegetarian version, omit the ham hock and add liquid smoke and extra smoked paprika.

Nutrition

Keywords: black-eyed pea soup, New Year's Day, Southern, lucky, ham hock, comfort food, Hoppin' John

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/lucky-southern-black-eyed-pea-soup-for-new-years-day/