Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Dumplings (Printable)

Comforting Southern stew with black-eyed peas, smoked sausage, and fluffy cornmeal buttermilk dumplings.

# Components:

→ For the Stew

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 12 ounces smoked sausage, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 medium carrot, diced
07 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
08 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt to taste

→ For the Dumplings

16 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
17 - 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
18 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
19 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
20 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
21 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
22 - 3/4 cup buttermilk

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until vegetables are softened.
03 - Pour in chicken broth. Stir in black-eyed peas, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne if using, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in melted butter and buttermilk until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Remove the bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter, approximately 2 tablespoons each, onto the simmering stew. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid while dumplings are steaming.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal in one pot: No sides required, though crusty bread never hurt anyone.
  • The dumplings are ridiculously forgiving: Slightly thick or thin batter still turns out pillowy and delicious.
  • It tastes even better the next day: The flavors deepen as they sit, making it perfect for batch cooking.
02 -
  • Never lift the lid during dumpling cooking: I learned this the hard way when curiosity cost me three minutes of heat loss and slightly dense dumplings—the steam is doing the work, so let it.
  • Taste the broth before dumplings go in: Once they're floating around, adjusting seasoning becomes nearly impossible without stirring them into oblivion.
03 -
  • Brown the sausage properly: Don't crowd the pan—give each slice space to caramelize, which deepens the entire flavor profile of the stew.
  • Make dumplings the right size: Aim for roughly 2-tablespoon portions; smaller ones cook faster but feel less substantial, larger ones might not cook through before spreading.
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