Black Eyed Peas and Sausage Stew
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Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Stew uses canned black-eyed peas and smoked sausage to create the perfect winter stew recipe with all the classic flavors of Louisiana. Black eyed peas are a traditional New Year’s Day dish so consider serving this hearty version with smoked sausage to kick off the year.
I’ll be honest, I can’t ever remember my Mom or Grandma serving black-eyed peas. But over the years, I’ve realized that there’s not a bean that I do not like. Wait…
Are black-eyed peas a bean?
Yes, black eyed peas are actually a bean even though they are routinely called a pea.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s talk about these Louisiana Black-Eyed Peas. This black eyed bean recipe is from my Louisiana Junior League recipe book, so as you might guess, it’s full of authentic southern flavors.
The base of the recipe is the holy trinity, not the Catholic version but the Cajun or Louisiana holy trinity.
What is the holy trinity of Cajun cooking?
The holy trinity consists of celery, green peppers and onions. This combination is the base of Louisiana cooking.
Bacon is the other ingredient that thoroughly gives these southern black eyed peas amazing flavor. Bacon is fried up allowing the fat to render out.
What does it mean to render?
Render means to melt down the fat. The frying process melts the fat, drawing it out of the piece of bacon. Do yourself a favor, and save the bacon fat that gets rendered out during frying. It has amazing flavor.
This southern black-eyed pea recipe uses the bacon fat to sauté the vegetables and the smoked sausage. That’s two more layers of flavor.
Ingredients for Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Stew Recipe
Bacon
Celery
Green pepper
Onion
Garlic
Canned Black Eye Peas
Water
Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Tomato
Smoked Sausage
How to Make Black Eyed Peas with Smoked Sausage:
- In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy; remove bacon to a paper towel. Pour bacon grease into a bowl to reserve.
- Add 2 tablespoons bacon grease back to the skillet; sauté celery, green pepper, onion and garlic until the onions are clear and translucent.
- Meanwhile, add undrained black eyed peas, diced tomato, fried bacon, water, salt, and cayenne pepper (if desired) to a Dutch oven or a large saucepan.
- Add the sautéed vegetables to the black eyed pea mixture.
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon bacon grease and thinly sliced smoked sausage. Fry until lightly browned and crisp. Add it to the black eyed peas. Bring to a simmer for 40 minutes or until to your desired thickness.
For the full recipe and ingredient amounts for black eyed bean recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post.Â
Notes About Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Stew:
- Save all the bacon fat that gets rendered in the first step. You’ll need to use it to sauté both the veggies and the smoked sausage later on.
- Use your favorite type of smoked sausage.
- This black-eyed bean recipe calls for canned black-eyed peas; however, if you’d like to start with the dried variety, follow the directions on the package to cook them completely before starting this recipe.
- Do not drain the canned black eyed beans.
- For a spicier black eyed peas and sausage stew, add cayenne pepper or use a hot smoked sausage.
- This winter stew recipes calls for a Dutch oven, but a large, deep saucepan can be used instead.
- Check out our Amazon store for some of our pantry essentials and kitchen favorites.
More Easy Stew Recipes:
Beef Stew with Beer (Slow Cooker)
Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Stew
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced bacon
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 (15) ounce cans of black eyed peas (do not drain)
- 1 (15) ounce can of warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tomato, diced
- 13 ounces smoked sausage, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large skillet, fry diced bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is slightly crisp. Drain bacon to a paper towel; pour the bacon grease in a bowl to use later.
- Add 2 tablespoons bacon fat back to the skillet; sauté celery, green peppers, onion and garlic until onions are translucent.
- Meanwhile, add undrained black-eyed peas, 1 pea can of warm water, salt, cayenne pepper (optional), diced tomato and fried bacon to a Dutch oven or large, deep saucepan.
- Once the vegetables are tender, add them to the black eyed peas.
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon reserved bacon grease; fry smoked sausage until lightly browned and crisp.
- Add the smoked sausage to the peas and stir.
- Bring the stew to a simmer, and continue to simmer for 40 minutes or until the stew is to your desired thickness.
Notes
- Save all the bacon fat that gets rendered in the first step. You'll need to use it to sauté both the veggies and the smoked sausage later on.
- Use your favorite type of smoked sausage.
- This black-eyed bean recipe calls for canned black-eyed peas; however, if you'd like to start with the dried variety, follow the directions on the package to cook them completely before starting this recipe.
- Do not drain the canned black eyed beans.
- For a spicier black eyed peas and sausage stew, add cayenne pepper or use a hot smoked sausage.Â
- This winter stew recipes calls for a Dutch oven, but a large, deep saucepan can be used instead.
- Love a winter stew? Try our Chicken Pot Pie Stew.Â
It was excellent stew. Tasty & delicious
Make rice & place the stew on top.
It was a wonderful dish. Will make it again & again.
I made this with fresh peas and it was amazing. The flavor profile was perfect.
Sounds great!