What’s that? You’d like an easy, delicious soup that practically makes itself and will make all of your wildest dreams come true!? Us too! We can’t guarantee this Creamy Curried Black Eyed Pea Soup does all of that, but it comes close!
This soup is made with simple methods in 1 pot with ingredients traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and prosperity. We have a feeling it will be your new favorite for everything from starting the new year to snow days, meal prep, weeknights & beyond!
Recipe Inspiration
We’ve been big fans of black eyed peas ever since creating our Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas recipe. So when we saw our incredibly creative friend Todd (@turnipvegan) created a Curry Black-Eyed Pea Bowl recipe, we knew we had to try it! And it did not disappoint.
After a few twists and turns, we landed on our inspired-by, brothier, 1-pot spin, which happens to have more of an Indian-inspired flavor profile! Shall we show you how it’s done?
How to Make Curried Black Eyed Pea Soup
This EASY, creamy black eyed pea soup begins with sautéing onion, sweet potato, and red bell pepper, which creates a naturally sweet base. Next, we add minced garlic, grated ginger, a generous amount of our go-to DIY curry powder, and red pepper flakes for a little heat. Salt goes in, too, and you’ve got the base of one seriously flavorful soup!
Next up, we take the flavor even further with coconut aminos and add a mixture of vegetable broth and coconut milk, which makes it creamier without becoming as heavy as a curry. Just creamy, comforting soup!
Then it’s time to add the black eyed peas. One of the beauties of black eyed peas is that you can cook them from dried pretty quickly, no soaking required! Of course, if you have the time, feel free to soak them (just use a little less broth and expect a shorter cook time). Another option to make this even speedier: You can use drained and rinsed canned black eyed peas!
After simmering until your black eyed peas are tender and the flavors of the broth have developed, your soup is ready for the final touches: chopped kale for a burst of green goodness and freshly squeezed lime juice for brightness.
What to Serve with Black Eyed Pea Soup
This soup has all the elements of a satisfying, 1-pot meal: protein + fiber from the black eyed peas, complex carbohydrates from the sweet potato, and kale for extra nutrition! However, it’s also amazing with any of these pairings:
- 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)
We can’t wait for you to try this soup! It’s:
Creamy
Brothy
Naturally sweet (from veggies!)
Easy to make
Satisfying
Comforting
Budget-friendly
& SO delicious!
This would be the perfect meal to enjoy on New Year’s Day, or any chilly winter day! It also freezes well, so you can make a batch and defrost it later when you need something ultra-quick + nourishing!
More Creamy 1-Pot Soups
- Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
- 1-Pot Vegan White Bean Soup
- Creamy Curried Cauliflower Lentil Soup (1 Pot!)
- Cozy Thai-Inspired Chicken Noodle Soup
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Happy soup season, friends!
Creamy Curried Black Eyed Pea Soup (Vegan, 1 Pot!)
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
*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.
Rebecca says
YUM! So delicious and hearty. I made a big batch for freezing so I doubled the recipe and in place of half of the black eyed peas, I added shredded chicken breasts. I also used water instead of vegetable broth so I added a little extra salt. Would definitely make again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rebecca! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications. xo
Megan says
Wow. This was absolutely fabulous!! Would have been brilliant with cilantro and cornbread, as you suggested – but we ate it as is. Incredibly rich, powerful flavour – very different to our regular soups and a great way to add more diversity into our diet (we don’t normally eat black eyed peas/beans).
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Megan! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Meghan says
This soup was AMAZING. 5/5. All flavors were SO well balanced and complementary to each other. I loved the flavor and texture of the Japanese sweet potato.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Meghan! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Mary Beth says
Very flavorful so I added it to the rotation. I accidentally ate my sweet potato beforehand and used butternut squash instead. Still very good. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Mary Beth! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your successful modification! xo
Hilary says
Phenomenal. My husband, 17 month daughter and I all loved this!!! My 4 year old son, not so much but he categorically “doesn’t like vegetables.” Ha! This was one of my favorite things that I have made in a while. I followed the recipe almost exactly with the following exceptions: regular (not light) coconut milk and prewashed spinach that I tore up in place of the kale. I did buy lacinato kale for this recipe, but by the end of cook time, I ran out of steam and just threw in the easier ingredient and it was lovely. I used canned black eyed peas. I will absolutely make again! My husband even requested to “keep it in the rotation!”
Yay! We’re so glad this one was a hit with (almost) the whole family. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Hilary! xo
Alex says
I’ve made this twice now, though I’ve used garam masala every time and added a bit more turmeric.
This is a great soup! What with the pepper and sweet potato, this is on the sweeter side and I’m all for it. The first time, I did use Japanese sweet potato and enjoyed the firmer texture, but the second time, I used regular sweet potatoes and just added it in as everything was simmering. They did get soft and were falling apart by the end, but I frankly had no issue (captain lazy cooking here).
The first time, I did soak my black-eyed peas for the day before making the soup and they cooked within the expected time frame (I let them simmer a tad longer because I couldn’t get to the soup right away). The second time, I just threw them in. While they DID cook, there were some beans that were not as tender as others and I went for cooking them closer to 55 minutes to try and help with the problem (it didn’t work). As such, I’d probably go for a soak beforehand to help with texture consistency – perhaps if you can find fresher beans than I can find, this wouldn’t be a problem.
Enjoyed this with some sourdough corn bread the second time and it was great.
Thank you for sharing your experience with making the different variations, Alex! We’re so glad you enjoy the soup! xo
Bee says
Made this soup on New Year’s Day and it was absolutely delicious and loved by everyone! So much so that I made a second batch the same week! Shared the recipe with all my friends. So good!
Thanks MB for always providing us with interesting, easy to make, and always delicious recipes.
Thank you for your sweet words and lovely review, Bee! We’re so happy you enjoy our recipes! xoxo
Carly says
This recipe was the bomb! I’m stoked to have left overs. The only note is that the beans might take longer to cook than mentioned. Otherwise, I love the sweet and salty balance in the soup!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Carly! We’re so glad you enjoy the soup! xo
Stacia says
I have never thought of black-eyed peas for soup until I saw this recipe. I made this tonight per the recipe except used arugula since I didn’t have kale on hand. Delicious! I will definitely be making this one again!
Yay! We’re so glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it, Stacia. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Leah says
Can this be made in an instapot? Thanks!
Hi Leah, we think it would be *okay*, but the sweet potato and bell pepper will likely get quite a bit more soft. If you want to try it out, we would suggest sautéing in steps 1-2, then adding the remaining ingredients (minus the kale), cooking on high pressure for ~15-17 minutes, then letting the pressure release naturally before stirring in the kale until it wilts. Let us know how it goes!
Leah says
Hi! Thank you for the recommendations. I sautéed steps one and two, cooked for 15 minutes and then let the pressure release naturally. You were correct and the peppers and potatoes got really soft. I loved the flavor though, so would definitely make it on the stove top if I have time. I would also try it in the instapot again, but release the pressure after 15 minutes (as in another of your black eyed pea instapot recipes) and maybe cut the potatoes in bigger pieces. I didn’t mind the bell peppers being super soft.
Thank you so much for following up with your experience and recommendations for next time, Leah! This will be super helpful for other readers :)
Anna says
I realize it would change the flavor profile, but do you think it would work to use red curry paste instead of the curry powder in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Anna, We think that would be tasty! Let us know if you try it out!
Lorissa says
I pretty much love everything on this site so it’s no surprise that this is also delicious. I made the recipe as written and it was great! Creamy, full of flavor and the perfect thing on a winter evening. Served it with corn bread. Everyone, including my kids and meat eating in-laws, gobbled it up and offered lots of compliments too. I’ll count that as a win! Thank you for another hit recipe.
Aw, thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review, Lorissa! We’re so glad this was a hit with all eaters! xo
Cindy says
Ever since I saw this recipe in my inbox, I couldn’t get it off my mind! I cooked it for friends for a New Year’s gathering and everyone agreed it was delicious. Very simple to make and quite flavorful. Also nourishing! I added all the lime suggested as well as a bit more salt and coconut aminos and it was perfect.
Yay! We’re so glad it was a hit at your New Year’s gathering. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Cindy!
Denise Edul says
Yup, another slam dunk! Loved this. I did sub cashew cream for the coconut cream but it was still delicious and full of flavor. I also did a quick soak method for the beans and they were well cooked in about 20 minutes. Will definitely make this again.
Whoop! Thank you for the amazing review, Denise! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! xoxo
Claudia says
Yummy!!! Adding to my winter soup rotation. Love the firmness of the black eyed peas & texture of the Japanese sweet potatoes. Thank you, Dana, for another fabulous vegan meal!
Thank you for another fabulous review, Claudia! We’re so glad you enjoy this soup and will be adding it into the rotation! xo
Alisa says
This soup is absolutely delicious! The combination of sweet potato, fresh kale, grated ginger, garlic, and curry powder is incredible—so flavorful and comforting. I soaked the black-eyed peas beforehand and even added some of the water I boiled them in, which made the soup extra rich and hearty. It smells amazing as it cooks and tastes just as good. A truly satisfying, nourishing soup that I’ll definitely make again.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review, Alisa! We’re so glad you enjoy this soup! xo
Susan L Burke says
Made this for the first time with company coming. No need to worry: the recipe was perfect & the black eyed peas delicious! Served it with Jasmine rice and sourdough bread.
We’re so happy to hear it was a success on the first try! Thank you for the lovely review, Susan! xo
Diann says
Beautiful, delicious soup! I made with canned black-eyed peas and a mix of sweet potato and white sweet potato. Even though I used canned, I used the full amount of broth, and it was perfect for me.
Wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Diann. We’re so glad you enjoyed this soup! xo
Amy says
Served with rice for our New Year’s good luck dinner, and it was delicious. I should not have trusted that my black eye peas were fresh; I’ll take the safer route and soak next time so my veggies don’t overcook. There will be a next time.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Amy! Sorry to hear your black eyed peas didn’t soften in time. We’re glad you still enjoyed the dish!
Gina says
Well, this was as delish as I thought it would be–really delicious! Love the combo of the b-e peas and greens, along with the other veg, with a light but flavorful curry sauce. I did not have the Japanese sweet potatoes (will try it with those next time), and used chopped org. collards for the greens. But the followed the rest and we loved it. Saved! And this was fantastic with Perfect Vegan Cornbread. Thanks for sharing this.
Yay! Thank you for making the recipe and sharing, Gina. We’re so glad it was as delicious as you thought it would be! xoxo
Elisha Polk says
I agree with this review; and excellent for New Years Day!
Erin Biskup says
Made this for our New Year’s dinner. Delicious! We liked it so much that we will probably have it again soon!
Amazing! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed it and will be making it again soon :) Thank you for the lovely review, Erin! xo
Melissa Gillaume Cappaert says
Very good! Its rare to find a recipe for our family that includes black eyed peas and most family members approve. We enjoyed it over rice. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Whoop! We’re so glad this one was a hit with the whole family. Thank you for making the recipe and sharing your experience, Melissa! xo
Jeffrey K says
Against my instincts, I used dried black eyed peas as the recipe suggests. After an hour of simmering, the peas are still crunchy. The sweet potatoes and vegetables are completely obliterated at this point, and the broth is now basically a casserole. The flavors are awesome, but the cookery on this recipe is WAY off. I’d like to try this again after making major adjustments to how it’s cooked, and using canned peas.
Hi Jeffrey, we’re so sorry your beans had trouble softening! We developed this recipe using dried black eyed peas and didn’t have any trouble with them softening. Is it possible your black eyed peas were older? That can cause them to remain firm even with additional cooking.
Wil says
I made it with soaked black eyed peas because I didn’t think that they would cook from dry in such a short time.
I had to cook the beans for about hour before they got soft. I ended up adding another cup of broth after 30 minutes of simmering, and it came out just like the photos (and tasted good.) I used Rancho Gordo beans and those are supposedly fresher than most dry ones so I don’t think they were super old.
If I make it again I will try it with canned beans to see if it comes out differently.
Mimi B says
This gal never disappoints, and this recipe is no exception! I had to make a few substitutions but the taste was spot on and delicious for a New Year’s dinner.
I only had one onion so I used a leek for the remainder, don’t care for bell peppers so I used Aji peppers instead, and added a cup of mushrooms. I always cook with homemade bone broth, so the flavor was outstanding. I also used roasted sweet potatoes added at the end, which added to the creaminess.
Thank you so much for the delicious recipes you provide! You are always my first choice to get a simply satisfying meal on the table! Happy New Year!
Yay! We’re so happy to hear this was another success for you and feel honored to be your first choice for simple, satisfying meals. Thank you for your lovely review, Mimi! xo
Gina says
I will make this tomorrow and come back with a rating (…which I already suspect will be 5-star; sounds very delicious). Was looking for a slightly different way to prepare the New Year’s day black-eyed peas and greens, and this fits the bill. And, goes without saying, it will be served with your often-made Perfect Vegan Cornbread, which continues to be on repeat in our house. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Happy New Year to you and yours.
Aw, thank you for your sweet words, Gina! We’re excited for you to try it and look forward to hearing what you think :) Happy New Year! xo
Maneesha says
Thank you for a great recipe! I did not have coconut milk, so I added a dollop of almond butter and it turned out great!
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Maneesha! xo
Danielle C says
Do you think this would work in a slow cooker? My stove will be full, but I really wanna try this. Thanks!
Hi Danielle, We think it would work – just add the kale toward the end of cooking. Let us know if you try it out!
Laura says
Could I use the instant pot for this? I’m assuming saute the veg, add the other ingredients (except for the kale, and 20min?
Hi Laura, we think it would be *okay*, but the sweet potato and bell pepper will likely get quite a bit more soft. Your method sounds great, though we think you could get away with cooking for less time (~15-17 minutes on high pressure). Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Laura says
Made it on the stove, used regular sweet potato, regular coconut milk,and collard greens. Gotta say, it was a hit, and this is now the way we are eating black eyed peas from now on.😘
Laura
10 stars plus!
Aw, YAY! We’re so happy to hear it, Laura. Thank you for the incredible review! xoxo