Hearty Southern stew with black-eyed peas, smoked sausage, and fluffy buttermilk cornmeal dumplings simmered in a savory broth.
# What You Need:
→ 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
# 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, about 5 minutes.
02 - Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5–7 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 (do not overmix).
05 - Remove the bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Drop spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each) of dumpling batter onto the simmering stew. Cover and cook over low heat for 20–25 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.
