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instant pot black eyed pea soup

Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea Soup

A hearty, healthy, and incredibly flavorful soup that uses the Instant Pot to deliver comforting, nutrient-packed deliciousness in a fraction of the traditional time.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Natural Release 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, Southern
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base and Aromatics
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
Soup Components and Seasoning
  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas rinsed, no soaking required.
  • 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth for non-vegetarian)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounce, undrained.
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for a kick
  • 1 bay leaf remove before serving.
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish
  • Fresh parsley or cilantro chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker)

Method
 

  1. Sauté Aromatics: Press the "Sauté" button on your Instant Pot and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 3 cloves garlic
  2. Combine Ingredients: Add the rinsed black-eyed peas, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, dried thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), and bay leaf to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
    1 pound dried black-eyed peas, 6 cups vegetable broth, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 bay leaf
  3. Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and ensure the venting knob is sealed. Select the "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" setting and cook on high pressure for **20 minutes**.
  4. Release Pressure: Once cooking is complete, allow for a **Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 10 minutes**, then carefully quick release (QR) any remaining pressure.
  5. Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.
    1 bay leaf, Salt and black pepper, Fresh parsley or cilantro

Notes

The power of the Instant Pot allows you to skip the long soaking process for dried black-eyed peas, dramatically cutting down on total prep time!