Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Chefs Touch (Printable)

Hearty black-eyed peas and vegetables in savory tomato broth

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
02 - 1 large sweet onion, diced small
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
06 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Legumes

08 - 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas or 1 can drained and rinsed

→ Broth & Seasonings

09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced sweet onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent.
02 - Add carrots and celery; cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until beginning to soften.
03 - Stir in potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes with juices and vegetable broth. Add bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine.
05 - Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until potatoes and carrots are nearly tender.
06 - Stir in black-eyed peas and simmer for another 10 minutes until all vegetables are soft and flavors have melded.
07 - Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in chopped parsley.
08 - Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with additional fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, so a real dinner happens on weeknights without stress.
  • The smoked paprika gives it depth that tastes like you've been cooking all day, but you haven't.
  • It's endlessly forgiving—throw in what you have, and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing canned black-eyed peas; the liquid they sit in can make your stew taste tinny and oversalted.
  • Dicing your vegetables small means they cook evenly and the stew becomes creamy from the broken-down edges, not from added cream.
  • The bay leaf really does need to come out—finding it in your spoon is nobody's idea of a good surprise.
03 -
  • If your stew seems thin after cooking, mash a few of the softened potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken it naturally.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half—it reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle.
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