SWAMP SOUP
This is the ugliest soup you will ever make but my fiancé said it's the best soup he has ever had!
Yes, it is called Swamp Soup, and yes, it looks a little wild in the pot. But hear me out. My fiance told me this is the best soup he has ever had, and once you taste it, you will understand. Smoked sausage, potatoes, blackeyed peas, turnip greens, northern beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, all simmered together in a savory chicken broth. It is hearty, smoky, slightly spicy, and absolutely soul-warming.
This is the kind of soup that tastes like it has been simmering all day, but actually comes together in about 40 minutes. The smoked sausage (I am team Conecuh for life) gets browned first to build that deep, savory base. Then you stack in potatoes, all your canned goods, broth and bouillon, and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender and the flavors have melted into each other.
What makes this soup so special is the layering of Southern flavors. The blackeyed peas, turnip greens, and smoked sausage are a classic combination that goes back generations. Adding northern beans gives it heft. Diced tomatoes with green chilies bring brightness and a little kick. And the pickled jalapenos (if you are brave) add another layer of heat and tang.
Serve this with a pan of cornbread on the side. The cornbread is non-negotiable, it is the perfect partner for soaking up the broth. Make a big batch on a cold Sunday and you will have lunches for the whole week, because it gets even better on day two. Let's make it.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 lb of smoked sausage - I like conecuh, cut into small rounds
- 1 cup of diced white onion
- 4 medium size yellow potatoes, cut into bite size cubes
- 4 pickled diced jalapeño slices (optional)
- 1 15oz can of Seasoned Blackeyed Peas (undrained)
- 1 10oz can of Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (undrained)
- 1 27oz can of Turnip Greens (undrained)
- 1 15oz can of Northern Beans (drained)
- 3 cups of Chicken Broth
- 2 tsp Chicken Bullion
- Box of Cornbread to cook separate and serve with it!
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Add smoked sausage to the bottom of a large pot/dutch oven and cook on medium high heat until brown. When the sausage is brown, add your onion and cook down for a minute or two until soft. Add jalapeños here if you wish.
- 2
Add potatoes and stir well to get the potatoes coated. While the potatoes are cooking, open up all of your can goods to get them ready to pour in. Stir the potatoes every minute or so.
- 3
Now pour in all of the can goods - Seasoned Blackeyed Peas, turnip greens, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and drained northern beans.
- 4
Add in 3 cups of chicken broth and 2 tsp of chicken bouillon and give everything a stir. Kick the heat up to high so it comes to a boil. Once it starts boiling, cover, turn heat to medium, and let it simmer for 25 minutes. If you are cooking cornbread, put it in the oven now!
- 5
After 25 minutes, remove from heat, give it a taste test to see if you need to add anything, and then serve with a side of cornbread. Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Smoked sausage: 1 pound, cut into small rounds. Conecuh smoked sausage is my favorite and what I always recommend. Hillshire Farm, Eckrich, andouille, or any smoked sausage works.
White onion: 1 cup diced. Yellow onion works too. The onion adds sweetness and depth as it cooks down in the sausage drippings.
Yellow potatoes: 4 medium, cut into bite-sized cubes. Yukon gold or red potatoes both work. Avoid russets, they fall apart too much.
Pickled jalapenos: 4 slices diced (optional). Adds tangy heat. Skip if you want a milder soup, or add more for spice lovers.
Seasoned blackeyed peas: One 15-ounce can, undrained. The seasoned variety has extra flavor baked in. Margaret Holmes or Glory Foods make great seasoned blackeyed peas.
Diced tomatoes with green chilies: One 10-ounce can, undrained. Rotel is the standard. Adds brightness and a little spice.
Turnip greens: One 27-ounce can, undrained. The greens are what make this swamp-colored and Southern through and through. Collards or mustard greens canned also work.
Northern beans: One 15-ounce can, drained. The drained beans add creamy heft without watering down the broth.
Chicken broth: 3 cups. Low-sodium gives you the most control over the final saltiness.
Chicken bouillon: 2 teaspoons. The concentrated chicken flavor amplifies the broth and ties everything together.
Cornbread: A box of Jiffy or homemade cornbread, baked separately. Non-negotiable serving partner.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavor actually deepens on day 2 and 3, so leftovers are a treat. Reheat gently on the stove over medium heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
To freeze, cool completely and portion into freezer bags or containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove. The potatoes may soften slightly after thawing but the soup still tastes amazing.
What to Serve With Swamp Soup
Cornbread is the essential partner. A skillet of buttery Jiffy cornbread or homemade Southern cornbread cut into wedges and used to scoop up the broth is the move. Add a side salad with vinaigrette for freshness, or simple buttered saltines for old-school Southern vibes. A glass of sweet tea or a cold beer rounds it out perfectly. This soup is a complete meal on its own.
💡 Tips for Success
- Use Conecuh smoked sausage if you can find it. The smoky, slightly spicy flavor is what gives this soup its signature taste. If not, any high-quality smoked sausage like Hillshire Farm or Eckrich works.
- Brown the sausage first before adding anything else. The fond (the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot) is where so much flavor lives. Do not skip this step.
- Cook the onions in the sausage drippings. All that smoky fat from the sausage is the perfect base for sweating the onions, and they soak up flavor as they soften.
- Cut the potatoes about the same size as the sausage rounds for even cooking and so every bite has a little of each.
- Do not drain the canned goods (except the northern beans). The juices from the blackeyed peas, turnip greens, and tomatoes are part of the flavor base. Northern beans get drained because the canning liquid is starchy and bland.
- Bring to a boil, then drop the heat to a simmer. Boiling hard for the whole 25 minutes will break up the potatoes too much. A gentle simmer keeps the texture right.
- Make the cornbread while the soup is simmering. The timing works out perfectly. Pop a box of Jiffy cornbread (or homemade) in the oven when you start the 25-minute simmer and they will be done together.
- Taste at the end before serving. Depending on the salt in your sausage and canned goods, you may or may not need more salt. A few cracks of fresh black pepper also wakes everything up.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different kind of sausage?
Yes. Andouille gives a Cajun spin. Polish kielbasa or any smoked sausage works. Even smoked turkey sausage for a lighter version. The key is smoked, the flavor depth from real smoke is what makes the soup.
Can I use fresh greens instead of canned turnip greens?
Absolutely. About a pound of fresh turnip greens, collards, or mustard greens, stems removed and chopped, added with the potatoes. They will need to wilt and tenderize, so the 25-minute simmer time is just right.
Why is it called swamp soup?
Because of the color. The turnip greens turn the broth this deep, dark, swampy green that looks wild but tastes incredible. Just embrace the name and the look.
Can I make it in a crockpot?
Yes. Brown the sausage and onions on the stove first, then transfer everything to the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
How spicy is this?
Pretty mild as written, with a little warmth from the green chilies in the tomatoes. Add the pickled jalapenos for medium heat, or a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes for more kick.
How long does it keep?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it keeps for 5 days. The flavor genuinely gets better on day 2 and 3 as everything melds. It is one of those soups that is almost more like a stew by day 3.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool completely, portion into freezer bags or containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove over medium heat. The potatoes may get slightly softer but the flavor stays great.
Shop the Recipe
Made this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @holleyinthekitchen — I'd love to see it!