This Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup is the perfect slow cooker soup recipe for New Year’s Day! It’s packed with black-eyed peas, onions, bell pepper, cabbage, and tomatoes for an easy, comforting soup.

This Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup is the perfect slow cooker soup recipe for New Year's Day! Packed with black-eyed peas, onions, bell pepper, cabbage, and tomatoes for an easy, comforting soup.

 

After 30+ years growing up in the American South, I’ve learned quite a bit about old New Year’s traditions! We southerners love folklore that results in a great meal, and this holiday is no different. I’ve spent year and year perfecting my favorite soup packed full of cabbage and black eyed peas (both believed to bring wealth and abundance) just for this occasion. I’m thrilled to share it and all my favorite tips so your family can do the same!

It’s important to note that this recipe goes against one specific tradition… A classic New Year’s meal is supposed to use pork (to promote forward growth since pigs root forward). This soup is delicious with sausage or ground pork, and I highly recommend it. However, my absolute favorite flavor comes from using ground beef, so that’s what I’m sharing here. But please replace that beef with pork if you’re going all in on manifesting those big goals!

Why you will love this soup:

  • Fun Traditions – We always love reading about Southern holiday traditions and making wishes about the year to come! After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, this slower and more introspective vibe is a nice change.
  • Hearty Comfort Food – This recipe warms you up from the inside out and is easy to feed a crowd. It’s absolutely perfect for a cold winter’s night and will fill your house with the most amazing smells!
  • Easy & Versatile – You can make this recipe on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in a multi-use cooker like the Instant Pot. It keeps well, so you can make it a couple days ahead of time for convenience. It reheats beautifully, and sometimes I think leftovers taste even better!

Ingredients for Black Eyed Pea Soup

This is essentially a cabbage soup with ground beef and black eyed peas tossed in. Yum! Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need. For exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card.

  • Lean Ground Beef – I love the flavor this provides, but you could easily replace the beef with pork if you want to hit 3 New Year’s traditions at once!
  • Produce – Onion, green bell pepper, and cabbage should all be chopped, and the garlic should be very finely chopped.
  • Spices – Chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder all combine to make this super flavorful.
  • Canned Goods – tomatoes with green chilis, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth are all added in this soup. If you’ve canned some of your own tomatoes, you can use those in place of the crushed tomatoes. You will need the liquid from the cans, so don’t discard or drain!
  • Black Eyed Peas – Frozen peas work best in this soup. They are able to become tender without going so long to become mushy.

You will also need some water. You may want to use sliced green onions and shredded cheese to garnish and add more flavor!

How to Make Black Eyed Pea Soup

You’re going to love how simple this recipe is; you’ll need a Dutch oven or pot to cook it on the stove, a skillet and Crock Pot if you want to slow cook it, or an Instant Pot.

This Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup is the perfect slow cooker soup recipe for New Year's Day! Packed with black-eyed peas, onions, bell pepper, cabbage, and tomatoes for an easy, comforting soup.
Black Eyed Pea and Cabbage Soup, PERFECT for new years! www.maebells.com
This Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup is the perfect slow cooker soup recipe for New Year's Day! Packed with black-eyed peas, onions, bell pepper, cabbage, and tomatoes for an easy, comforting soup.
  1. Brown the meat. You can do this in a skillet, pot, Dutch oven, whatever you prefer. If you’re using an Instant Pot, that makes this a “one pot” meal because you can just adjust from the sauté function to the slow cooking function. Drain off the excess grease before moving on.
  2. Sauté veggies & add seasonings. Add your chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic into the skillet/pot with the beef. Let it cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in your spices and stir well.
  3. Add all remaining ingredients. If you’re using an Instant Pot or cooking it in a pot on the stove, pour in your broth, water, canned goods, cabbage, and black eyed peas. If you’re using the slow cooker, transfer your meat and sauteed veggies to the slow cooker with all these other ingredients.
  4. Simmer & serve. If you’re cooking this on the stovetop, bring the soup to a boil, then simmer for 1-1.5 hours. If you’re cooking this in the slow cooker (or using the slow cooker function on the Instant Pot), cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours. Garnish with shredded cheese and chopped green onions.
a closeup shot of Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup

What to serve with New Year’s Soup

Another Southern New Year’s tradition is eating something golden to bring about the gold coins of prosperity and wealth! Cornbread is the perfect pairing to fit the bill. We love these Cornbread Waffles, but these cheesy cornbread muffins are amazing, too.

Storage and Reheating

This should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. You can freeze this soup, and it will last up to 3 months. However, cabbage can change texture quite a bit the longer it’s frozen, so I recommend eating it as soon as possible. To reheat, you can blast individual portions in the microwave in 1-minute increments at 50% power. For the entire soup, reheat in a pot over medium-low, covered, until warmed throughout.

FAQs about Cabbage Soup

Can cabbage soup be vegetarian?

Absolutely! Leave out the meat and substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth. You may like to replace the meat with rice to bulk it up, but I haven’t tried that and couldn’t advise on the amount of time or rice needed.

Can you cook black eyed pea soup ahead of time?

Yes, this soup holds up well in the fridge for 3-4 days, so you could make it a few days ahead of time, then serve when you’re ready.

Which meats work best in cabbage soup?

Cabbage soup is delicious with any meat, especially if you season it well! I love ground beef, but turkey, chicken, or pork would all be delicious.

More Popular Recipes:

an overhead shot of Cabbage and Black Eyed Pea Soup

Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Black Eyed Pea Soup

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Annie Holmes
This easy black eyed pea soup is full of veggies and juicy meat for the perfect wholesome dinner! You can make this soup recipe on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or with a multi-use cooker like the Instant Pot.
4.36 from 92 ratings
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound lean ground beef, or sausage
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 cups cabbage, chopped small
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 10-ounce can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • 1 16-ounce package frozen black-eyed peas
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 32-ounce carton chicken broth, beef broth or vegetable broth is fine as well
  • 1 cup water

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large pot to medium high. Brown ground beef and drain off any fat.
  • Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until softened.
  • Add spices, stir well.
  • Add in the remaining ingredients (do not drain any of the cans) and stir well.
  • Bring mixture to a slight simmer, then reduce to medium low, cover, and let cook for at least one hour or up to 90 minutes.

Slow Cooker Version:

  • Follow steps 1-3 add ingredients to a large slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
Serving: 11/4 cup, Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 31.8g, Protein: 21.9g, Fat: 3.2g, Cholesterol: 35.3mg, Sodium: 1148.9mg, Fiber: 9.8g, Sugar: 11.2g
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!