Vegetarian Black-Eyed Pea Soup

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 03/15/22
Black eyed pea soup
Alexandra Grablewski / Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Vegetarian black-eyed pea soup recipe using black-eyed peas (or crowder peas), celery, carrots, macaroni noodles, and spiced with basil and thyme, as well as the usual soup ingredients, such as vegetable broth, garlic, and onions.

We think legumes such as peas get overlooked in the world of the home chef and particularly amongst vegetarians and vegans. We often make bean soups or Indian chana masala with chickpeas, but how often do you incorporate green split peas, yellow peas or, in this case, black-eyed peas, in your cooking repertoire? After all, they are somewhat interchangeable. But we digress. Here's one classic way to use black-eyed peas to make a simple vegetarian vegetable soup. 

This is a vegetarian recipe, with plenty of flavors without the usual ham. Leave out the optional Parmesan cheese to keep it vegan and dairy-free. Need this black-eyed pea soup recipe to be gluten free as well? Omit the macaroni and just be sure to use a gluten-free vegetable broth; easy enough to do if you make your own homemade vegetable broth, or, if you're using store-bought, just check the ingredients list or the label as some will be gluten free, but as a general rule, most will not be. 

Recipe by Bush's Beans.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 carrot, chopped

  • 2 stalks celery, chopped

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 2 cups vegetable juice

  • 2 cups vegetable broth

  • 16 ounces canned tomatoes with juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, or oregano

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can black-eyed peas, or crowder peas

  • 1/2 cup macaroni

  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan.

  2. Add garlic, carrot, celery, and onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

  3. Reduce the heat and add the vegetable juice, vegetable broth, tomatoes, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and crowder peas (black-eyed peas).

  4. Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer, and heat for 10 minutes.

  5. Add macaroni and heat for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until macaroni is cooked.

Serve in soup bowls topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
127 Calories
2g Fat
21g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 127
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 429mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 43mg 216%
Calcium 55mg 4%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 462mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)