Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage Dumplings (Print Version)

Hearty Southern stew featuring tender black-eyed peas and savory sausage topped with fluffy cornmeal dumplings.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

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 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 using, 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 all-purpose flour, yellow 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 for optimal flavor.
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 until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid while dumplings are steaming.
07 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Those fluffy dumplings soak up all the savory broth in a way that regular bread just can't match.
  • It's a one-pot dinner that somehow tastes like you've been cooking for hours when you've really only spent an hour and a half.
02 -
  • Don't overmix dumpling batter or they'll be tough as rubber—mix just until combined and accept that some lumps are your friends here.
  • Resisting the urge to lift the lid while dumplings steam is genuinely difficult, but it's the difference between pillowy clouds and dense hockey pucks.
03 -
  • Browning the sausage well develops a crust that adds immeasurable depth—don't rush this step or accept pale, wimpy sausage.
  • Keep your buttermilk cold and measure it just before mixing; cold buttermilk creates better dumplings than room temperature.
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