If you’re from the South, chances are pretty good that you eat some combination of black-eyed peas, collard greens, rice, and cornbread on January 1st for luck and wealth in the new year. Try this calypso soup for a change of pace.
Peas for pennies,
Collards for dollars,
Cornbread for gold.
– Our State Magazine
I eat collards, but there are a lot of other leafy greens I like better, so I substitute. I hope it doesn’t affect my “dollars.”
This hearty soup has you covered, especially if you eat a small slice of cornbread with it. I was totally amazed by the flavors – the soup is beefy, earthy due to the sweet potatoes and black-eyed peas, and tropical because of the coconut milk. And then the curry powder gives it a nice kick without making it too spicy hot.
If you need some other ideas about how to get in your black-eyed peas and greens for New Year’s, you might want to try Black-eyed Pea Corn Cakes with Spicy Sour Cream or Collard Greens with Black-eyed Peas and Tomatoes.
Happy 2016!
Calypso Soup with Black-eyed Peas and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup peeled diced sweet potato
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth or water
- 14.5 ounces black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained 1 can
- 14 ounces unsweetened light coconut milk 1 can
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves stems removed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking into crumbles, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Remove meat to a paper-towel lined plate. Press additional paper towels on top of meat to further reduce fat.
- Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat in skillet. Add sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, and curry powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add broth or water, black-eyed peas, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until sweet potato is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and thyme. Cook until spinach wilts, about 1 minute.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Eating soups for lunch at work as a healthy alternative to sandwiches keeps my BGL in check. This recipe has it all! Your blog is a lifesaver to this recently diagnosed diabetic who loves to cook. Thank you!
Thanks, Karen! I love soup for lunch too. I’m glad you’re finding what you need on the blog. If you ever have suggestions or want to share some recipes, let me know.