Creamy Curried Black Eyed Pea Soup (Vegan, 1 Pot!)
Creamy black eyed pea soup with curry powder, coconut milk, and lots of veggies! An easy, comforting, vegan meal with just 1 pot required!
Servings 4 (~2-cup servings)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive, coconut, or avocado oil
- 1 large onion (white or yellow), diced (1 large onion yields ~2 ½ cups or 300 g)
- 1 large white (Japanese) sweet potato*, cut into 1-inch cubes (1 large sweet potato is ~1 pound or 460 g)
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced (4 medium cloves yield ~2 Tbsp or 18 g)
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger*
- 2 Tbsp DIY curry powder (or store-bought)
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2-3/4 tsp sea salt (depending on the saltiness of your broth // add more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 4 cups vegetable broth*
- 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
- 1 cup dried black eyed peas (or use two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed, in place of 1 cup dried beans)
- 3 cups chopped kale*, stems removed
- 1-2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (1/2 lime yields ~1-2 Tbsp or 15-30 ml)
FOR SERVING optional
- Brown rice, white rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
- Perfect vegan cornbread (or gluten-free cornbread)
- Toasted crusty bread (vegan and/or gluten-free as needed)
- Freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, sweet potato, and bell pepper and sauté until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
- Add the coconut aminos, broth, and coconut milk and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the black eyed peas and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer and cook (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until the black eyed peas are tender, about 30-40 minutes (see notes if using soaked or canned black eyed peas).
- Once the black eyed peas are tender, stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 5-10 minutes. Add the lime juice and adjust as needed, adding more coconut aminos for depth of flavor, salt to taste, and/or red pepper flakes for heat.
- This soup is delicious on its own or paired with rice, cornbread, or toasted bread. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Any leftover soup will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month (or longer). Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
Notes
*We love the firmer texture of Japanese sweet potato in this recipe, but you can use any type of sweet potato. If using another type of sweet potato and you want it to have a firmer texture, we suggest adding it after the black eyed peas have been cooking for ~10 minutes.
*Freshly grated ginger is better than freshly minced ginger in this recipe because it gives the broth a more even and potent ginger flavor. If using minced ginger, use at least double the amount.
*If not vegan, chicken broth would also work well in this recipe.
*If using canned black eyed peas, use half the amount of broth and cook for ~15-20 minutes (after bringing to a simmer) to allow the flavors of the soup to develop.
*If using soaked black eyed peas, use 3/4 the amount of broth and cook for ~20-25 minutes (after bringing to a simmer), or until tender.
*We also tested with collard greens but preferred the texture and vibrant color of kale in this recipe.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with olive oil and without optional ingredients.
*Loosely inspired by Indian curries, Turnip Vegan’s Curry Black Eyed Pea Bowl, and our Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas & Greens.
*Freshly grated ginger is better than freshly minced ginger in this recipe because it gives the broth a more even and potent ginger flavor. If using minced ginger, use at least double the amount.
*If not vegan, chicken broth would also work well in this recipe.
*If using canned black eyed peas, use half the amount of broth and cook for ~15-20 minutes (after bringing to a simmer) to allow the flavors of the soup to develop.
*If using soaked black eyed peas, use 3/4 the amount of broth and cook for ~20-25 minutes (after bringing to a simmer), or until tender.
*We also tested with collard greens but preferred the texture and vibrant color of kale in this recipe.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with olive oil and without optional ingredients.
*Loosely inspired by Indian curries, Turnip Vegan’s Curry Black Eyed Pea Bowl, and our Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas & Greens.
Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)
Serving: 1 (~2 cup) serving Calories: 409 Carbohydrates: 66.5 g Protein: 14.8 g Fat: 11.4 g Saturated Fat: 5.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 927 mg Potassium: 1453 mg Fiber: 12 g Sugar: 18.6 g Vitamin A: 12693 IU Vitamin C: 100 mg Calcium: 181 mg Iron: 6.7 mg