Jones' Black-Eyed Pea & Smoked Ham Stew

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-03 · Updated 2026-04-03

A hearty, slow-simmered stew with tender black-eyed peas, smoky ham, and fresh greens, evoking Southern traditions. This southern-inspired soups ready in about 105 minutes pairs dried black-eyed peas, large onion, carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
• 1 large onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 lb smoked ham hock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups kale
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Step 1: Soak 2 cups dried black-eyed peas overnight (or use 2 cans drained). In a large pot, combine soaked peas, 1 chopped onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Add 1 can diced tomatoes, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 smoked ham hock, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
2. Step 2: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until peas are tender. Remove ham hock, shred meat (discard bone/skin), and return to pot.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 cups chopped kale and cook 10 minutes until wilted and tender. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice and adjust salt/pepper to taste.
4. Step 4: Discard bay leaf, stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread.