This Vegan Smoky Sweet Potato Black-eyed Pea Soup is full of flavor, plant-based protein, is oil-free, dairy-free and made with delicious whole foods! A total bowl of comfort that is easy to make and will leave you feeling satisfied!
Who’s ready to ring in the New Year with an amazing, comforting bowl of good-for-you soup? Me. *Raises both hands*. I think you all know by now my affinity for soups. They are my favorite thing to eat…..and create for that matter. This Smoky Sweet Potato Black-eyed Pea Soup is almost a stew because it is a fabulously, thick and hearty soup that is slow-cooked, but regardless what you call it, you will love it.
There are a ton of black-eyed pea soup recipes out there I’m sure, so I simply created mine based off of ingredients I love and would want in my own soup. I personally think a balance of sweetness goes incredibly perfect with a slightly spicy soup. One of my very first recipes I wrote for blogging, and one of my favorite soups, is my 1 Pot Sweet Potato Lentil Soup. I immediately remembered that one and how incredible the flavors were, so I decided to use that one for inspiration.
This vegan Smoky Sweet Potato Black-Eyed Pea Soup is not only incredibly healthy and good for you, it is also oil-free, low-fat and 1 pot! It’s, of course, just 8 ingredients (+ salt & pepper & water). You do need to soak the beans the night before, this produces the best texture and flavor. Sometimes canned beans just don’t cut it.
Speaking of the New Year, are you one to make traditional new commitments or plans, or do you not fall into that? I, personally, think it’s dependent on one’s personality. Some people like the new year as a new start, but I don’t need a new year for that. When I decide I want to make a change, I attempt to do it right then and there. I find if you wait until a specific date or this or that, it doesn’t tend to really stick as much. If you want something, go for it now!
Kind of like this soup, go start soaking your dried black-eyed peas now!
HOW DO YOU MAKE BLACK-EYED PEA SOUP?
To make this Smoky Sweet Potato Black-eyed Pea Soup, first you will add your dried beans to a large pot. Cover with water. Put the lid on and soak overnight or 8 hours max. Drain and rinse them well and remove any rocks or debris. Add them back to the pot and add the 6 cups warm water.
Bring the beans to a boil and as soon as it is a rolling boil, turn to low simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 60 minutes. While it is cooking, chop your bell peppers, onion, garlic and sweet potato. Gather the salsa, cumin, paprika and salt & pepper). Note: You can also prepare the cornbread muffins at this time if you want.
After the 60 minutes is up, add the remaining ingredients. Stir well and bring it back to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to medium-low heat, cover with the lid slightly tilted allowing steam still to escape and let it cook 15-20 minutes just until the potatoes are tender.
Serve this soup alongside my Magic Skillet Cornbread. But to make things a bit quicker and easier, I made them as muffins. Easier to dip into each bowl.
Let me know below what you think of this vegan, gluten-free Smoky Sweet Potato Black-Eyed Pea Soup by leaving feedback and doing the star rating please!! It means the world to me. Thank you and Happy New Year!
Smoky Sweet Potato Black-eyed Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb (16 oz bag) dried black-eyed peas, soaked 8 hours (overnight) covered in water
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups (280g) chopped bell peppers (I used 1 red and 1 green)
- 1 1/2 cups (195g) finely diced onion
- 4 (2 1/2 tablespoons minced) x-large garlic cloves
- 3 cups (470g) of 1/2 inch chunks peeled and chopped sweet potato
- 3/4 cup (120g) medium heat salsa (use mild for less spicy)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2-3 teaspoons or more salt (This makes a HUGE pot, so that is why you need more salt than normal and will greatly vary depending on the broth used)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- OPTIONAL: This is great served with any of my cornbread recipes listed below.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- I like to serve this with cornbread. You can use any of these, all will be delicious. Vegan gluten-free Skillet Cornbread, Cornbread Muffins or Pumpkin Cornbread.
- Time-saving tip: The day before I cooked the soup, when I placed the beans to soak I also chopped the bell peppers and onion and placed them in the freezer, so all I had to do was add them the next day and chop the sweet potato and garlic. Made it simpler.This recipe is written based on the large amount of water used with the dried beans. I don't recommend canned, as it will totally change everything else about the recipe. This makes a huge pot, which is how I like to make a good soup at New Year's for leftovers.
- Add your dried beans to a large pot and cover in water. Put the lid on and soak overnight or 8 hours max. Drain and rinse them well and remove any rocks or debris.
- Add them back to the pot and add the 6 cups vegetable broth.
- Bring the beans to a boil and as soon as it is a rolling boil, turn to low simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 60 minutes (set your timer). While it is cooking, chop your bell peppers, onion, garlic and sweet potato. Get all your remaining ingredients ready as well (salsa, cumin, paprika and salt & pepper). Start with 2 teaspoons or so of salt.Note: You can also prepare the cornbread muffins at this time if you want. They add a wonderful slightly sweet taste and texture to the soup. Come on, make them.
- After the 60 minutes is up, add the remaining ingredients. Stir well and bring it back to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to medium-low heat, cover with the lid slightly tilted allowing steam still to escape and let it cook 15-20 minutes just until the potatoes are tender. The beans should be done at this point as well. If you follow each step as I've noted, the beans should be done. If not, let them cook just a few minutes more.
- Taste and add any more salt if needed. This can greatly vary depending on the broth that is used. You may need 1-2 more teaspoons, it will depend.
- Remove from the heat and serve with cornbread!
Brandi, just saw this on the “Eating You Alive” trailer, Congratulations and thanks for all you’ve done to spread the plant based word….if people only knew how much better they could feel, they would change in an instant and this yummy dish, like all your ‘smoky’ inventions only helps make the transition delicious and cruelty free❤
Thank you!
It looks fantastic, so I plan to try it. Are the sweet potatoes raw or cooked before adding to recipe?
Hi Debra! They are raw, as they cook in the soup, which you will see in the directions. 🙂 It’s a slow-cooking soup.
Today was our first rainy ☔️, dark day of winter. The rain turned into a windy ice storm that blew my umbrella inside out. Lots of wet snow came next, nixing our plans to attend an evening school, fun event.
How did we turn our frowns upside down? Well, besides the 3 year old continually telling everyone how awesome they are, we made Smoky 🍠 Sweet Potato, Black Eyed Pea soup with your Cornbread Muffins.
Delicious, the both of them! My regular muffin tin was not to be found, so I made mini muffins. I also used blue corn 🌽 meal as that’s what I had on hand. These recipes will absolutely go in my Favorites file❣️ Thank you very much for sharing.
I shall post on your FB page also, and share a photo.
Brandi, I just took my first bite of this black-eyed pea soup and had to come to my computer to tell you THANK YOU for the recipe. There will be many of my family members eating it and wishing for good luck in 2017. Happy New Year to you and yours.
This recipe is a keeper! I’ve tried many different black-eyed pea recipes over the years and they have been okay, but nothing I’ve wanted to make again. This one was a hit with the whole family (DH and four kids ages 8 to 15)! We will be eating this more that once a year, I think. Looking forward to trying more vegan8 recipes.
I made this recipe for new year’s, and it was fantastic! I made a half batch as I sometimes do with new recipes. I am wondering if you have tried freezing this? I’m about to have baby #3 and would love to be able to pull this out of the freezer for a quick supper. Thanks!
Thank you so much, that is so awesome to hear!
How can this be made using a slow cooker?
Hi Ashley, I don’t use a slow cooker so I’m afraid I don’t have advice on how to adapt the recipe on how to use it. This is a slow cooking recipe anyways because of the dried beans so I’m guessing you could just throw in the soaked beans into the slow cooker with the other ingredients and cook on low until everything is cooke but I’m not sure.
I used 4c low sodium veggie broth plus 2c water and started with only 2tsp of the salt and it was still way too salty for me! I wish I had added the salt more gradually because I hate going to all the trouble of making something and then having it not work out 🙁
Otherwise great recipe 🙂
That is very odd, I just made this last week and it’s not overly salty at all and I’ve never heard that from any other reader. My guess is either your broth was still relatively high in sodium or you are just very sensitive because 2 tsp of salt for this huge pot is not much at all. Odd!
Can this wonderful recipe be used in a crock pot? If possible, any adjustments you would recommend? Eager to try, but need a large quantity for a “Soup Party.”
Eloise
Hi Eloise! I honestly have no idea if it would turn out well. I do not use a crockpot so I can’t give advice on how to adjust the recipe. Sorry!
This is one of my favorite soups. I’m planning to make it for soup day at work, and cannot see the recipe anywhere in the post. Am I missing something?
So sorry about that Amy, I was trying to change recipe plugins and it got deleted. It’s fixed now!
It’s ok, I only freaked out a little bit. Now I can resume my fall schedule. Thank you SO MUCH!
I’m also a “One day… or Day One?” (Paulo Coelho) person–I don’t wait around when it’s time to make a change. That said, I love the NY ritual I have where I reflect on successes/challenges of the previous year, decide what I’d like to accomplish w/in the new year, and set a daily action plan and checkpoints along the way. It works for me, and I’ve been able to knock some big items off the bucket list this way.
And now…. about those black-eyed peas! I wouldn’t dream of starting a New Year without ’em! This has to be one of the best batches I’ve made so far… you’ve packed the flavor in here, for sure. Not only is this a healthy, hearty dish, but it tastes complex while being SO quick ‘n easy! I also used red and green peppers for color and a Japanese (white flesh) yam and a little less liquid (I prefer stewy texture). This will be a go-to throughout the chilly season (and a counterbalance to all TV8 cookies I can’t stop making).
Thank you for another fabulous, easy, healthy recipe! 🙂
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Oh this is amazing. I used my Instant Pot because I couldn’t wait to try it! Fantastic
Yay Carol Ann, thank you for making it!
I wanted to use my insta pot also- can you tell me how long you cooked it and did you Cook it on manager? High pressure?
My oh my, this was delicious! I served it with a tahini/nooch/hot sauce dressing and brown rice and it disappeared quickly. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I might just have to find the cookbook, now.
Thank you Michelle, that sounds delicious!
Never made any of your recipes before mainly because I don’t bake. But when I saw this one I decided to try it.
Wow!! You were right. Rich flavor, and a perfectly delicious combination of sweetness and hotness. This is a very delicious and memorable soup that is going on my best soups of all time list.
Thanks for the recipe. Everyone loved it….and I was the only vegan for dinner. Best wishes for a new year filled with new and creative dishes.
So so happy you loved this soup, thank you for the kind words and review!
This will be a New Year’s Day tradition for years to come! This soup is a hearty and healthy meal that my entire family enjoyed. Thank you, Brandi, for sharing these delicious, simple dishes!
So very happy to hear that Jennifer, thank you so much for sharing!
This is delicious. I didn’t have sweet potatoes so I used white!
Awesome!
Just made this soup. Absolutely delicious!
I saw a chef from Senegal on a TV show whipping up this dish — he called in ndambe — and really wanted to try this recipe. After scrolling through dozens of recipes on Google I found this one, the closest to what I had seen on TV. OMG, it was everything I had hoped it would be, and more! I *did* make a couple of small changes to make it more like what I had seen, on TV, mainly using fresh tomatoes and a bit of tomato paste (along with some chopped Fresno peppers) in lieu of the salsa, but I think the recipe as written would still yield terrific results. I followed your cooking times precisely and they were on point.
That is so wonderful to hear!! So glad you loved it! At first when you said a chef on TV, I thought you meant he was cooking my actual recipe, haha. So glad you googled and found mine and made and most importantly, enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to review it!
OK, I’m a complete “newby” to anything even remotely related to vegan cooking, looking for ways to eat healthier that don’t make we want to cry tears of boredom…I luckily ran across you on Google and this recipe just “sounded good” and all the ingredients were just so interesting, so I’m going to give it a try tomorrow morning. I can’t honestly remember being this interested in cooking “ANYTHING” before…Stay tuned for results tomorrow over lunch LOL!
P.S. My wife generously rounded up the ingredients for my on her shopping trip and as I unpacked them the “Smoked Paprika” bottle had me so freaking curious I had to open it up and explore…woooooohhhh! Talk about a “nose’gasm” this spice is beyond sublime! I was so curious I tried some Smoked Paprika out on bit of traditional chili we were having and I fell in love w. the taste at first bite…what a transforming taste and scent…just exotic. I cannot wait to try this in your recipe. Thank you for so generously sharing your creativity with food with the world. What gift…just thank you!
Haha, thank you Mark! Yes, smoked paprika is so delicious and one of my favorite spices to use!!
I love sweet potatoes but am going to make this soup for those who don’t. Any advice? Should I just leave the potatoes out and maybe increase bell peppers? Or, substitute something else, maybe cauliflower or carrots?
Hi Jan, I definitely wouldn’t just leave them out, they give a ton of bulk and texture to the soup. Try gold potatoes instead and maybe add 2 long carrots. The sweet potatoes work really well with the salsa, since they are sweet and it’s a nice balance. So, they flavor will change a bit with the gold, so that is why I suggest the carrots for a touch of sweetness.
Loved it! We made it for New Year’s Day. Both of us went back for seconds! Had it with rice.
I was originally going. to make a pot of black-eyed peas to go with the rice, then we decided to make this recipe, and meanwhile had only a cup of BEP in the InstaPot — 7 minutes the beans were not quite cooked — so made 2 more cups at 10 minutes, and that was almost too much. (In case anyone else is cooking the beans in a pressure cooker.) Then we added the other ingredients and simmered on the stovetop.
Can you sub cans of black eyed peas?
Hi Patty! No, I would not use canned here. The recipe is designed for using the slow cook dry beans with the ratio amounts of liquid and the flavor development. Definitely want to stick to dry beans here.
Brandi,
All I can say is this is the best soup I have ever made. The flavors were bursting in my mouth. So simple to make and yet so savory! I’m new to completely oil free and you have made it soooo easy!!
My Mom and my friend were saying, “Wowwww and Mmmmmmm….”.
I will make this again and again. Yum!
Thank you for all you do for all of we followers and making our lives easier with your creativity, “vegan style”! 🙂
Big hug!
Aww that makes me so happy to hear, thank you so much Shandee!!
I forgot to rate it!! Here it is 🙂
Made it twice this month already! Very easy and, like all your other recipes I’ve made (which is a lot!) the spice and flavor amount is perfect. My only addition was a big bunch of hand torn dino kale at the very end after shutting the stove off so that the leaves just wilt and hold their color. Thank you!
That is so wonderful to hear, thank you so much Rebecca!
Best veggie soup I’ve ever made. Usually I’d add a protein or two but I gave this a go the way it is. Fantastic. Thank you.
Woohoo, that is so awesome, thank you Matthew for making it and leaving this lovely review! It’s loaded with protein with the beans too, so you are good on that front!
5+++.I made the BlackVery Eyed peas, FANTASTIC.I DIDN’T want soup,so used 2 cups less water and made it in my cast iron pot,in the oven.350 initial cook,250 for 5 hrs.second cook.
5++++ I also made the corn bread,really really good.Used Walnuts insread of Pecans and Corn Starch instead of Tapioca starch.
Very impressed!
Which of these would you sub for the black eyed peas? White Kidney beans, brown lentils, green lentils
Which of those would you NOT sub for the black eyed peas?
Excellent soup! Easy to make; very tasty and has all the right ingredients. Thanks!
so happy you loved it Cathy!! Thank you for the review!
This is one of our favorites! It’s VERY hearty and filling, the flavors are perfect, plus there’s just something fun about eating “black-eyed peas” 🙂
Hi! Was I supposed to drain the beans after they cooked for an hour on the stove?
After you add the broth, no. If you’re talking about the first quick soak, Yes, but the cooking step 5, no don’t drain.
I used the IP for my Hoppin John this year. I might try it with your recipe. Do you think it would work, say at 25 min?
We had this last night for dinner and loved it! It’s the perfect blend of sweet and smoky. I didn’t have salsa because my teenage boys ate it all before I could use it, lol! I also added some kale that I needed to use up. I love that it makes a ton so that I can freeze the leftovers to have on hand!