Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Dumplings (Print)

Hearty Southern stew with black-eyed peas, smoked sausage, and fluffy cornmeal buttermilk dumplings for ultimate comfort.

# Ingredients:

→ For the Stew

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 12 oz 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 oz 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced sausage and cook until browned, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add diced onion, minced garlic, diced celery, diced carrot, and chopped bell pepper. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and stir in black-eyed peas, dried thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper if desired, bay leaf, and salt to taste. 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 bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed for salt and spice balance.
06 - Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter (approximately 2 tablespoons each) onto the simmering stew. Cover with lid and cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid while dumplings are steaming.
07 - Remove from heat and serve hot. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Those dumplings absorb the savory broth like little sponges, making each bite feel luxurious and filling without being heavy.
  • The whole thing comes together in just over an hour, so you can have a restaurant-quality stew on a weeknight without stress.
  • It's one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day, rewarding you twice for one cooking session.
02 -
  • Never, ever stir the stew once you've added the dumpling batter—stirring disturbs them and breaks them apart into sad little fragments that sink.
  • The bay leaf must come out before serving; I learned this the hard way when someone bit into one and gave me a look I'll never forget.
  • Buttermilk is not optional here—it's what gives the dumplings their tender crumb and subtle tang, so don't try to use regular milk as a shortcut.
03 -
  • Don't rush the initial browning of the sausage—those caramelized edges are where most of your depth of flavor lives, and they take a solid five minutes.
  • Keep your dumpling batter cold and handle it minimally; every second you spend mixing is a second the batter gets tougher.
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