Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya (Printable view)

Hearty Cajun one-pot with smoked sausage, black-eyed peas, and vegetables in spiced rice.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 12 oz smoked sausage (Andouille or kielbasa), sliced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
08 - 2 spring onions, sliced for garnish
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

→ Rice and Liquids

10 - 1.5 cups long-grain white rice
11 - 3.3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Spices and Seasonings

13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 1.5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
15 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - 1 bay leaf
19 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
20 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
21 - 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for extra heat

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sliced sausage and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until browned.
02 - Add diced onion, celery, red and green bell peppers to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add rice to the pot and stir thoroughly to coat in oil and vegetable mixture.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes with juices, and black-eyed peas. Add Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using. Stir well to combine.
06 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with lid and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed.
07 - Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and fluff jambalaya with a fork.
08 - Garnish with sliced spring onions and fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying dinner.
  • The smoked sausage does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need to babysit it constantly.
  • Black-eyed peas add heartiness and a subtle earthiness that makes this feel genuinely substantial without being heavy.
  • It's naturally dairy-free and tastes better than any restaurant version I've had.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned black-eyed peas—I learned this the hard way when a batch tasted overly salty and the texture was off, and it completely changed once I started draining and rinsing them properly.
  • Resist the urge to stir constantly once the liquid is in—the rice needs undisturbed time to absorb the liquid evenly, and opening the lid releases steam that the rice depends on for cooking.
  • Taste before serving and adjust salt, because sausage saltiness varies by brand and your broth saltiness matters too.
03 -
  • Buy good smoked sausage—it's only a small ingredient but it's doing enormous flavor work, and using mediocre sausage will make the whole dish taste flat no matter what else you do perfectly.
  • If you notice the rice still looks wet after 25 minutes, cover and cook for another 3–5 minutes rather than rushing it—overcooked rice is better than crunchy rice with unabsorbed broth.
Go Back