When bringing in the New Year, a few Southern traditions and superstitions come to mind. My mom always made sure that she did not wash on New Year’s Day because she feared that she might “wash” someone out of her life. She also made it her mission to remove every single Christmas decoration before the New Year so that we would not have bad luck.

Food is no exception. Growing up in the South, it’s totally unacceptable not to have collards and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. We would always have an abundance of them so that our year would be filled with good fortune and prosperity. I thoroughly enjoyed those meals, and I make sure to carry out those same traditions with my family.

This year, I decided to make this easy One-Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens & Sausage. This soup is full of all the good stuff that’s perfect for New Year’s Day – black-eyed peas, collards, turkey smoked sausage, vegetables and seasonings. It pairs perfectly with cornbread or even a warm grilled cheese sandwich – and it’s even better reheated the next day.

One-Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens & Sausage (Andrea Mathis / Beautiful Eats & Things)

To save some time in the kitchen, I used several canned foods to make this recipe, including Glory Foods Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas. Their products are always so delicious and so well-seasoned. The peas are slow simmered in onions, garlic and a savory ham broth.

When making this recipe, I started by sautéing my onions and smoked sausage in a large pot. Then I added the rest of the ingredients and let the soup simmer for about 10-15 minutes. That’s it. Super easy, right?

If you’re looking for a yummy “good luck” recipe to serve on New Year’s Day, go ahead and give this One-Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens & Sausage a try. I hope that 2024 brings you much happiness, love and prosperity. Happy holidays.

One-Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens & Sausage (Andrea Mathis / Beautiful Eats & Things)

One-Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens & Sausage

Click here for a printable version.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 1 (14-ounce package) turkey smoked sausage, sliced
• 3 (14.5-ounce cans) black-eyed peas
• 1 (27-ounce can) collard greens, drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce can) diced rutabagas, drained
• 1½ cups chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add sausage and onions and cook for approximately 7-8 minutes or until onions are translucent.
3. Add chicken broth, black-eyed peas, collard greens, rutabagas, cayenne pepper and garlic powder to the pot.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe notes

Nutritional information (1 serving): calories, 259; carbohydrates, 30 grams; fat, 7 grams; protein, 19 grams; saturated fat, 2 grams; fiber, 6 grams; sugars, 5 grams.

Andrea Mathis is a registered dietitian and owner of Beautiful Eats & Things. For more great recipes, visit beautifuleatsandthings.com.