Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Soup Recipe

Chicken noodle and tomato soup might get all the attention (and in many ways, it's for good reason), but if you're looking to add a new soup to your stew repertoire, recipe developer Carlos Leo of Spoonabilities has you covered with the perfect dish.

Leo crafted a spicy black-eyed pea soup recipe that's loaded with flavor — yet just so happens to be quick and easy to make. Leo called it a "Level 1" soup in terms of difficulty. He tells us that you "basically put everything in the pot and let [the ingredients] cook for 25 minutes." 

Although this recipe was made in a Dutch oven, Leo tells us that any large pot will suffice. The most important parts are the cooking time and ingredients. Best of all, this easy-on-the-wallet recipe can go from stove to table in about 35 minutes. It's also, to say the least, hearty.

"The soup is packed with a lot of ham and it's very filling," Leo says. "Also, it [is] very economic."

First, you'll need to gather the ingredients for the spicy black-eyed pea soup recipe. You'll need a 2 cups of spicy salsa, 2 cans of low-sodium black-eyed peas (rinsed and drained), low-sodium beef broth, ground cumin, dried oregano, and a bay leaf. You'll also need smoked ham hocks, ham (in small cubes), fresh spinach, and apple cider vinegar.

Leo prefers to use Pace salsa, but he tells us you can use any brand you want. However, keep in mind that the spiciness might change depending on the brand you use and the spice level of the salsa.

First, add the salsa, black-eyed peas, beef broth, ground cumin, oregano, bay leaf, ham hocks, and the cubed ham to a large Dutch oven. You'll then bring this soup mixture to a boil. Once the soup has reached a boil, you can then reduce the heat to simmer for 25 minutes.

If you're not familiar with a Dutch oven, it's used similarly to a pot and can be placed on a stove burner.

After the soup has been simmering for 25 minutes, remove the ham hocks and bay leaf from the Dutch oven. Next, you'll add the spinach to the soup and cook it just until the spinach is wilted. Then, you'll add the vinegar to the soup and stir.

One thing to note: the smoked ham hocks don't soften in 25 minutes. After you remove the ham hocks, you can clean them and put them back in the freezer so you can use them in another soup.

After the ham hocks have been removed from the soup and you've added the spinach and vinegar, you can place the soup in a serving bowl — and enjoy! As a friendly reminder, this spicy black-eyed pea soup recipe makes 6 servings. Share with your closest confidantes, or store the remaining savory soup in the fridge for later feasting.

If you crave even more sustenance, Leo recommends pairing this dish with rice or bread. Of course, this spicy black-eyed pea soup recipe is plenty enough on its own!