Easy black eyed pea soup in the Instant Pot, with collard greens, ham, andouille sausage and Cajun seasoning. A good luck New Year's Day meal and perfect all soup season long.
2linksandouille sausage (about ½ pound), sliced into rounds
1smallyellow onion, diced
2ribscelery, diced
1mediumcarrot, peeled and diced
¼green pepper, seeded and diced
3clovesgarlic, finely chopped
1-2teaspoonsCajun seasoning (to taste, and I use a no salt blend)
1bay leaf
1poundblack eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
3ham shanks (about 1 pound)
1smallham hock, optional
1large bunchcollard greens, about 1 pound, washed, stems removed and chopped
8cupswater
Instructions
Heat the olive oil on saute setting until hot. Add sausage and brown for a few minutes, remove to plate. Add celery, carrots, onion and green pepper, cook and stir a few minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant. Turn off saute feature. Add bay leaf and Cajun seasoning and stir to combine.
Add black eyed peas to the pot along with the reserved sausage and ham shanks (and small ham hock, if using). Add water, careful not to go over the maximum fill line. Gently stir to combine. Place chopped collard greens on top, pushing down to submerge.
Seal and cook under high pressure for 20 minutes. When finished, let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes or so. Open and remove ham shanks. Shred meat and return to pot. (If you used a ham hock, remove and discard.) Taste for salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with hot sauce and cornbread, just my suggestion. Enjoy and may this soup bring you much good luck!
Notes
I also added a small ham hock, for flavor, not any meat, that's from the ham shanks. It is totally optional, if you have one handy, toss it in. If not, no worries!