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Black Eyed Peas with Cornbread Dumplings

September 10, 2020 by Joy the Baker 49 Comments

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We’re a few days past Labor Day and that means we’re instantly ready for stews and sweaters and pumpkin with our spice.  I get it. We’re ready for any kind of familiar change that will liven up and steady this heck of a year. I don’t really mind a few more weeks  in my white dress and a few more steamy walks down to the river but heck if I’m ready to make it out of fire and hurricane season.  Let’s fall back into some of fall’s comforts. It might be a little early but that just means there will be plenty of time to settle in. Let’s settle in with today’s black eyed pea recipe!

overhead ingredients for black eyed peas and cornbread dumplings

Here’s what you’ll need for today’s black eyed pea recipe:

• A few links of Italian sausage uncased. You could also totally use a vegetarian sausage alternative. For another easily vegetarian comfort dish see: Caramelized Mushroom and Dumplings.

• Frozen and thawed black eyed peas. (Canned would work just fine too – the beans will just break down a bit more during simmering.)

• Onions and garlic and thyme to make everything taste stewy.

• Chicken or vegetable stock.

• For the dumplings: cornmeal and flour, leavening and salt, buttermilk and green onions. Add any other herb or cheese you might think is nice, too!

sausage frying in a cast iron skillet

Let’s start by browning the sausage.

We’re building flavors here and I like to start by giving the sausage a hard sear – so much that it sticks to the bottom of the pan a bit.  That’s ok. We’ll get all those delicious bits up.

onions frying with sausage in a cast iron skillet

Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft, translucent and beginning to brown.

This takes about 5, maybe 7 minutes.

black eyed peas in a skillet with sausage and onions

Add the peas, thawed and drained.

Give the mixture a good stir and you’ll start to see some of the browned bits come up off the bottom.

broth added to soup

Add the broth.  Add the thyme.

Give it time but bring everything to a low simmer.

ingredients for cornbread dumplings

While the beany soup comes to a simmer, hustle together the dumpling batter.

Start with cornmeal, flour, leavening and salt.

cold butter going into

Give it all a whisk and add the cold butter chunks.

scallions going into cornbread batter

Once the cold butter is broken down into bits, toss in the green onions.

Chives, parsley, or thyme would be good substitutes or additions to these dumplings.  Really – add anything that sounds like it belongs.  Grated cheddar even? Sure!

Raw cornbread batter

Pour in the buttermilk and stir into a wet but smooth batter.

It’s ok if there are a few lumps from the herbs, but please no lumps of dry ingredients hiding out in our batter.

Make sure the soup is simmering and using two big spoons or an ice cream scoop, dollop eight or nine spoonfuls of batter into the simmering liquid.

Cover the pot, turn down the heat, and wait for the magic to happen.

dumplings simmering in broth

Let the dumplings simmer for 10 minutes before removing the lid.

They’ll be puffy and float. Feel free to remove one of the dumplings and cut through it to test its doneness.  Add a good dash of fresh herbs just before serving.

a bowl of black eyed peas with cornbread dumplings.

Generously spoon into bowls and add plenty of hot sauce.

This is the kind of dinner you enjoy on the couch with a movie.  Settle in.  Let it be cozy.

Photos with my friend Jon Melendez. This recipe is adapted from a Weight Watchers Magazine recipe I found at my mom’s house. Thanks Mom! Thanks Weight Watchers!

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Black Eyed Peas with Cornbread Dumplings

★★★★★ 5 from 28 reviews
  • Author: Joy the Baker
  • Prep Time: 35
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
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Description

A warm and comforting weeknight dinner fall! 


Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Black Eyed Peas:
  • 2 Italian sausage link, uncased
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (a scant 1 tablespoon)
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 (16 ounce) package frozen black eyed peas (about 2 1/4 cups)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if desired
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • For the Dumplings:
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • For Garnish:
  • Hot sauce
  • Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Heat a large dutch oven (I used a 10-inch wide pan) over medium heat. Add the uncased sausage and cook, breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once the sausage has released some oil and started to cook through add the onions. Cook until onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add chicken stock, peas, water, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pan and reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
  2. While the beans simmer make the cornbread dumplings. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter cubes and break the butter bits into the dry ingredients until the butter bits resemble oat flakes. Toss in the scallions. Add the butter milk and stir until thoroughly combined.
  3. Once the beans have simmered to tender, spoon the cornbread batter into the simmering beans, making 8-12 dumplings. Cover and allow to simmer for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and enjoy warm with a sprinkle of parsley and hot sauce.
  4. I find that this dish is best the day its made but you can store leftovers in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop within a day or two.

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Alicen

    May 2, 2023 at 4:06 pm

    I’ve made this recipe several times over the past few years. Every time I make it it still surprises me just how delicious it is. The best beans I’ve ever eaten, in any form!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Emily Miller

    January 3, 2023 at 4:59 pm

    We have made this recipe for the last several years around New Year’s. It is my 7 year old’s favorite soup and her most requested dish. It is delicious, filling, and simple. Always a home run. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Amelia

    January 2, 2023 at 11:43 am

    Insanely good and I can’t believe how easy and perfectly the dumplings turned out! First time I’ve ever done this technique and now I want add dumplings to every pot of stew/soup I cook! I used vegetarian Field Roast Italian Garlic and Fennel sausage and it matched the flavor profile perfectly. I also used Rancho Gordo beans (soaked overnight beforehand), and added a dash of nutmeg and some fennel seeds to the simmering beans. Don’t forget the dash of hot sauce and parsley garnish. SO GOOD. Thanks, Joy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Jackie Jardine

    January 1, 2023 at 7:46 pm

    This is a favorite – I make it every New Years Day! I veganize mine and also add collards (gives a real color boost) – but this recipe is wonderful!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Ashley

    October 11, 2022 at 10:58 am

    Can you used pre soaked dried beans in this too?

    Reply
    • Joy the Baker

      October 17, 2022 at 7:09 am

      You can- they’ll just need much longer to cook before adding the dumplings!

      Reply
  6. Mary

    January 4, 2022 at 5:58 pm

    This recipe was popular this New Years Day on the Rancho Gordo Bean Club page. I selected this as our Lucky 2022 BEP recipe and it did not disappoint! I followed the recipe as written and everyone loved it! I can’t wait to use the cornmeal dumpling recipes in other soups and stews this winter. Thank you for the recipe and Happy New Year, Joy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Stephanie

    January 2, 2022 at 9:24 am

    This recipe was just delicious! Such a fun way to make black eyed peas for our New Year’s lunch. Who would’ve thought of cornbread dumplings?! It’s a keeper!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Meg

    January 1, 2022 at 7:35 pm

    We made this today and it was delicious! My kids don’t much care for dumplings, in general, so I think next time maybe we will make them as drop biscuits on the side. Do you think that would work? Most importantly, we will be making it again!! Thank you and happy new year to you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Paulette

    January 1, 2022 at 7:06 pm

    Absolutely fantastic!!! Added fresh chives to the dumplings. Also added chopped green pepper to the dish . Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. The key is to use dried beans soaked overnight. Once soaked I only needed 2 1/2 cups (kept the rest for another recipe). Simmer low and slow and use the back of a spoon to mash some of the peas to thicken the dish. Definitely a keeper!!

    Reply
  10. Eric

    January 1, 2022 at 4:11 pm

    This recipe is a is a next-level upgrade to your favorite black-eyed pea routine! I’ve been making the same old peas on New Years for a long time, but I stumbled across this recipe and decided a little change might be good. So this will be my New Years routine for a long time to come!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  11. Ronnie

    January 1, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    Best black eyed peas I have ever made and/or eaten. Thank you for this delicious recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  12. Andrea

    December 31, 2021 at 9:29 pm

    This was incredibly yummy. It was my first time making dumplings and they turned out perfectly! Thank you for such a great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  13. Alison

    October 3, 2021 at 9:52 pm

    This was delicious! I started with a pound of dried BEPs and cooked them nearly until done, then doubled everything else in the stew portion. I used the cooking liquid in place of some of the broth, and made 1.5x the dumplings. The dumplings took a lot longer to cook but it all turned out excellent – will definitely make again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
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