New Year’s Soup 2025: Black-Eyed Peas, Sausage, and Collard Greens – A Comforting Family Recipe
As the New Year approaches, there’s no better way to celebrate and bring in good fortune than with a bowl of hearty, soul-warming New Year’s Soup. This traditional dish of black-eyed peas, sausage, and collard greens has been passed down through generations, symbolizing prosperity and good luck. The dish combines rich flavors and tender textures in a way that brings families together around the table.
If you’re looking for a comforting, easy-to-make recipe to kick off the new year, this soup is the perfect choice. Simple to prepare yet packed with flavor, it’s a dish that you and your loved ones will cherish year after year. While there are no exact measurements in this recipe—because cooking for family is all about love and intuition—here’s a breakdown of the ingredients and steps you’ll need to make this delicious New Year’s Soup.
Ingredients for Black-Eyed Peas, Sausage, and Collard Greens Soup
This recipe is all about simplicity and letting the natural flavors shine. The ingredients include a blend of savory meats, earthy greens, and hearty beans that will make your soup a hit at any table.
- 1 lb dry black-eyed peas (soaked for a few hours)
- 4 bunches of collard greens (washed, with ends removed, roughly chopped)
- 2 lbs pork sausage links (or sausage of your choice, cooked in a skillet)
- 2 small cartons of chicken stock
- 1 ½ teaspoons of minced garlic
- 1 large can of Rotel tomatoes (for a slight kick and flavor)
- 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- Sugar (a small amount, just enough to balance out the bitterness of the collard greens)
- 1 ½ cups of water (more if needed during cooking)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Optional: A dash of hot sauce (for a spicy kick)
This combination of ingredients gives you a warm and hearty meal with layers of flavor, from the savory sausage to the tangy vinegar, complemented by the smoothness of the black-eyed peas and the richness of the collard greens.
How to Make New Year’s Soup: Black-Eyed Peas, Sausage, and Collard Greens
Now that you have all your ingredients ready, let’s walk through the simple process of making this delicious and nourishing soup. The best part? It’s all done in a slow cooker, making it the perfect “set it and forget it” dish.
Step 1: Soak the Black-Eyed Peas
Start by soaking your dry black-eyed peas for a few hours. While some people prefer to soak beans overnight, this recipe uses a quick soak method. Soak the peas for a few hours in warm water to help them cook faster and soften up. If you’re short on time, you can skip soaking altogether and just add extra water during the cooking process.
Step 2: Prepare the Collard Greens
Next, take your collard greens, wash them thoroughly, and remove the tough stems. Cut the greens into rough, large pieces—don’t chop them too finely. Collard greens are hearty, and the larger pieces will hold up better during the slow cooking process, allowing their rich flavor to infuse the soup without turning mushy.
Step 3: Cook the Sausage
In a skillet, cook your pork sausage or sausage links of your choice. Once fully cooked, crumble or slice the sausage into smaller pieces. The sausage adds a savory depth to the soup, and its fat helps to enhance the flavor of the collard greens as they cook.
Step 4: Assemble the Soup in the Crockpot
Now, it’s time to bring everything together in the crockpot. Add the soaked black-eyed peas, cooked sausage, and collard greens into your slow cooker.
Next, pour in the chicken stock and add the minced garlic, Rotel tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and tomato paste. Stir everything together to combine the ingredients evenly. The Rotel tomatoes bring a slight heat and tang to the dish, while the apple cider vinegar adds a balanced acidity to cut through the richness of the sausage and beans.
Step 5: Season and Adjust
Add sugar to taste. The sugar helps to counteract the natural bitterness of the collard greens, balancing out the soup’s flavor profile. You don’t need much—just a tablespoon or less will do. After that, add salt and pepper to taste. Since you’ve already added seasoning from the sausage and chicken stock, start with a light hand, and adjust as needed.
If you enjoy a bit of spice, you can also add a dash of hot sauce for an extra kick, though this is optional.
Step 6: Add Water and Slow Cook
Pour in about 1 ½ cups of water to the slow cooker. You may need to add more water during the cooking process to keep the soup from becoming too thick, so feel free to taste it and adjust the consistency. Set the crockpot on low and cook the soup for at least 10 hours, or overnight if you prefer. The longer the soup cooks, the more the flavors will meld together, making it even more delicious.
Step 7: Taste and Adjust Seasoning
Once the cooking time is up, taste your soup. At this point, you can adjust the seasoning and water to suit your preferences. If the soup is too thick, add more water. If you feel it needs more salt, pepper, or vinegar, feel free to make those adjustments. When you’re satisfied with the flavor, it’s time to serve.
Step 8: Serve and Enjoy
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with a side of cornbread, crusty bread, or some warm rolls. This soup is perfect for sharing with family and friends, and the flavors only improve as leftovers.
Why This New Year’s Soup is a Family Tradition
This Black-Eyed Peas, Sausage, and Collard Greens Soup is more than just a dish; it’s a tradition that brings people together. For many, eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day symbolizes good luck and prosperity in the coming year. Collard greens are often associated with wealth due to their green color, representing money in many cultures.
The addition of sausage and tomatoes in this recipe adds depth and complexity, making this soup a complete meal. Whether you’ve been making it for years or are trying it for the first time, this recipe is bound to become a beloved part of your holiday traditions.
Customizing Your New Year’s Soup
While this recipe is delicious on its own, feel free to customize it to suit your family’s tastes. Here are a few ideas:
- Add other meats: In addition to sausage, you can add ham hocks, smoked turkey, or chicken for added flavor.
- Try different greens: If collard greens aren’t available, substitute with mustard greens, turnip greens, or even spinach.
- Spice it up: If you love heat, throw in some jalapeños, or use a spicier variety of sausage to amp up the flavor.
Conclusion
There’s no better way to start the year than with a big pot of New Year’s Soup made from black-eyed peas, sausage, and collard greens. This dish is full of flavor, tradition, and love. Whether you’re making it for New Year’s Day or as a hearty family meal, this recipe will bring warmth and joy to your table.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year 2025 filled with prosperity, love, and good food!