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    Home » Recipes » Soup

    Good Luck Soup

    Published: Dec 22, 2021 · Post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    This easy slow cooker Good Luck Soup has black-eyed peas, greens, and pork for a healthy, lucky, and prosperous year. Plus, it takes very little effort to prepare. Toss in the crockpot New Year's Day morning or New Year's Eve and let it cook all night.

    two bowls of good luck soup on gold and white napkins with bottle of champagne and owl-shaped salt and pepper shakers
    • About Good Luck Soup
      • Ingredients
        • Cost of Recipe
    • How to Make Good Luck Soup
      • Make in the Instant Pot
      • Make on the Stove
    • Recipe Tips
      • Variations
        • Ingredient Options
        • Alternative Prep & Cooking
        • How to Make Allergy Friendly
        • How to Fix a Mistake
      • Make Ahead Ideas
      • Storage Suggestions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Nutrition Benefits
      • What to Serve with Good Luck Soup

    About Good Luck Soup

    If you like to eat certain foods on New Year's Day to ring in the new year, this soup has you covered.

    Plus, it's great for a crowd since the recipe makes 12 cups of soup and only costs about $14 for the whole batch. Also, everyone loves it!

    My grandmother Nan introduced me to this recipe a few years ago as an alternative to the pork, black-eyed peas, and turnip greens my parents used to serve on New Year's Day.

    Luckily, this soup is such a tasty and easy way to enjoy all those superstitious and special new year's day foods. Much better than the boring plate of pork, peas, and greens.

    The amount of effort is doable even if you're not feeling your best (i.e. hungover), so it's ideal for lazy days.

    garlic, salt, bay leaf, minced onion, kale, garlic powder, chicken broth, sausage, beans, onion, black eyed peas, diced tomatoes, paprika, crushed red pepper

    Ingredients

    Sausage: This good luck soup recipe has been tested using pork sausage links, ground pork sausage, chicken sausage, and even vegetarian sausage. Check the seasoning and spiciness level.

    If you use ground sausage, cook and drain the sausage before adding to the slow cooker.

    Onion: Yellow, red, white, sweet, or Vidalia onions are all good options for this good luck soup.

    Garlic: Fresh garlic or garlic powder will work.

    Greens: You can use turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, spinach, or a combination to total 16 ounces. Frozen or fresh greens will both work well.

    Spices: The spices in this Good Luck Soup recipe include onion flakes (or minced onion), salt, red pepper flakes (or crushed red pepper), paprika, and garlic powder.

    Black Eyed Peas: The black eyed peas symbolize prosperity, so don't forget to include them. If you don't love black eyed peas, you can use one can instead of two.

    Tomatoes & Green Chilies: The brand name you'll find for these is Rotel. But the store brand label is the exact same. Be sure to check the spiciness. I usually buy mild if I have a spicier sausage, so the soup isn't overly spicy. But it depends on how spicy you like things. Remember that you can always add spice; it's harder to take away.

    Beans: You can use any type of bean you like. This soup has been tested with navy beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans (or chickpeas). Also, you can increase the beans if you want a bigger batch of soup or omit if you don't want beans.

    Broth: Homemade or store-bought chicken broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth can all be used. I prefer unsalted or lower sodium to keep the soup from being too salty, but it's not a huge deal if you use regular broth. The broth adds depth of flavor to your soup, but water can be substituted.

    Cost of Recipe

    • sausage 12 ounces: $4.99
    • onions 2 medium: $1
    • garlic 2 cloves: $0.12
    • greens 16 ounces: $2.50
    • black eyed peas 2 (15 ounce) cans: $1.56
    • navy beans 1 (15 ounce) can: $0.78
    • diced tomatoes and green chilies 1 (10 ounce) can: $0.68
    • onion flakes ½ teaspoon: $0.12
    • salt ¼ teaspoon: $0.01
    • red pepper flakes ¼ teaspoon: $0.05
    • paprika ¼ teaspoon: $0.04
    • garlic powder ¼ teaspoon: $0.02
    • bay leaf 1: $0.10
    • broth 4 cups: $1.99

    TOTAL COST: $13.96 or $1.16/serving (Based on San Diego grocery stores 2021)

    Note that this is not the recipe; it's simply to show the cost breakdown of ingredients. Be sure to scroll down to the full recipe to see the specific ingredients and directions.

    collage of photos with the first photo of a white cutting board with chopped sausage and a knife, second photo is diced onion and chopped sausage in a slow cooker, third photo is kale, beans, and tomatoes in a slow cooker, fourth photo is kale, beans, and tomatoes stirred together in a slow cooker, fifth photo is a slow cooker with the top on, sixth photo is a cooked soup in the slow cooker

    How to Make Good Luck Soup

    Time needed: 4 hours and 15 minutes

    This slow cooker soup is super simple to make. Here's how to make new year's good luck soup.

    1. Chop the sausage, dice the onions, and mince the garlic.

    2. Add the sausage, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker.

    3. Add the greens, peas, beans, tomatoes, and spices.

    4. Pour in the broth and stir.

      Add bay leaf.

    5. Cover and cook.

      Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.

    6. Stir and enjoy!

      two bowls of new year's good luck soup on gold and white napkins with salt and pepper shakers and a bottle of champagne

    How to Make Good Luck Soup in the Instant Pot

    1. Turn the pressure cooker to Sauté on normal. Add the sausage and diced onions.
    2. Cook five minutes.
    3. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir.
    4. Cover and set the valve to sealing. Turn off Sauté function.
    5. Use the Pressure Cook or Manual button, and cook for 30 minutes on High.
    6. Allow the pressure to release for 15 minutes, then do a quick release.
    7. Remove bay leaf, and enjoy!

    How to Make Good Luck Soup on the Stove

    1. Add the sausage and diced onions to a large soup pot, and heat over medium-high.
    2. Cook five minutes.
    3. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir.
    4. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low.
    5. Simmer for 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the soup doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. (The longer the soup cooks, the better)
    6. Remove bay leaf, and enjoy!
    black eyed peas, diced tomatoes, and kale in a black slow cooker

    Recipe Tips

    Variations

    Ingredient Options

    Beans: Pinto beans, navy beans, white beans, great northern beans are all great options for the beans. You can omit these if you aren't a huge fan of beans.

    However, the nice thing about having the beans is that it stretches the soup so it serves more with a smaller budget.

    Garlic: Use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder in place of the two cloves of fresh garlic.

    Alternative Prep & Cooking

    Instead of using the slow cooker, you can cook this in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Also, this can be cooked on the stove. See the full recipe below for details.

    How to Make Allergy Friendly

    This soup is already gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. Be sure to check the ingredients list if needed, especially on the sausage.

    If you want this to be vegetarian or vegan, use a vegan/vegetarian sausage.

    How to Fix a Mistake

    This soup is quite forgiving, and you can adjust the flavors if needed.

    Soup is too spicy: Add an extra can of beans or black eyed peas that have been rinsed and drained.

    Soup is lacking flavor: Add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice or vinegar (like apple cider, white wine, or red wine), or you can add another pinch of salt or red pepper flakes.

    overhead shot of a bowl of soup on a white and gold napkin

    Make Ahead Ideas

    This is best made ahead so the soup has time to cook.

    You can also assemble the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook overnight on low. Or you can add everything to the crockpot (or soup pot if using the stove), store it in the fridge, and cook whenever you're ready.

    Storage Suggestions

    Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Nutrition Benefits

    Good Luck Soup is filled with tons of nourishing vegetables, spicy sausage for protein and flavor, and beans for fiber, extra protein, and nutrients.

    You get 20% of the recommended daily amount of iron, 17% of Vitamin C, and 18% of potassium.

    What to Serve with Good Luck Soup

    The only way to make this New Year's Good Luck Soup any better is to add a slice of cornbread on the side. Since cornbread is supposed to signify gold, you might want to make a whole batch.

    And if you want a festive cocktail, try Bourbon Hot Chocolate, Tia Maria Cocktails, or Sparkling Cranberry Apple Orange Cocktail (or mocktail).

    white soup bowls on gold napkins

    Final thoughts:

    File this recipe under "too good to make once, forget about, and never make again" and "this shouldn't just be for the new year."

    This recipe is as delicious as possible. Plus, it gives you all the things you need on New Year's Day: black-eyed peas, greens, and pork for good luck, prosperity, and health. Additionally, it's a total crowd-pleaser.

    MORE NEW YEAR'S RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:

    • New Year's Breakfast Casserole
    • Sparkling Cranberry Apple Orange Cocktail
    • Black Eyed Pea Casserole
    two bowls of good luck soup on gold and white napkins with bottle of champagne and owl-shaped salt and pepper shakers

    Good Luck Soup

    This easy slow cooker soup has greens, black eyed peas & pork for a lucky and prosperous year. Plus, it takes very little effort to prepare.
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours hours
    Total Time: 4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 cups
    Author: Meme
    Total Cost: $13.96 or $1.16/serving

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces sausage chopped
    • 2 medium onions diced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 16 ounce greens frozen or fresh
    • 2 15 ounce cans black eyed peas drained & rinsed
    • 1 15 ounce can navy beans or Great Northern beans, drained & rinsed
    • 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
    • ½ teaspoon onion flakes
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 4 cups chicken broth

    Instructions

    • Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir.
    • Cover, and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

    Video

    Notes

    *You can use regular pork sausage for a traditional new year's dish, or another type, like chicken sausage if desired.
    *You can use turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, spinach, or a combination. Frozen or fresh greens can be used.
    *Try to find low sodium or no salt added beans and broth to keep the sodium lower.

    How to Make Good Luck Soup in the Instant Pot

    1. Turn the pressure cooker to Sauté on normal. Add the sausage and diced onions.
    2. Cook five minutes.
    3. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir.
    4. Cover and set the valve to sealing. Turn off the Sauté function.
    5. Use the Pressure Cook or Manual button, and cook for 30 minutes on High.
    6. Allow the pressure to release for 15 minutes, then do a quick release.
    7. Remove bay leaf, and enjoy!

    How to Make Good Luck Soup on the Stove

    1. Add the sausage and diced onions to a large soup pot, and heat over medium-high.
    2. Cook five minutes.
    3. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir.
    4. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low.
    5. Simmer for 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the soup doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. (The longer the soup cooks, the better)
    6. Remove bay leaf, and enjoy!

    What to Use in This Recipe

    slow cooker
    Slow Cooker
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo

    Meme

    This post was originally published on December 31, 2014. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.


    New Year's Good Luck Soup Nutrition Facts

    Nutrition Facts
    Good Luck Soup
    Serving Size
     
    1 cup
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    210
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    3
    g
    5
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    21
    mg
    7
    %
    Sodium
     
    257
    mg
    11
    %
    Potassium
     
    626
    mg
    18
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    29
    g
    10
    %
    Fiber
     
    8
    g
    33
    %
    Sugar
     
    4
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    16
    g
    32
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    525
    IU
    11
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    14.4
    mg
    17
    %
    Calcium
     
    69
    mg
    7
    %
    Iron
     
    3.6
    mg
    20
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably share it:

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lindsey

      December 02, 2018 at 10:55 am

      5 stars
      Bring on alllll the good luck, this is delicious and so easy!

      Reply
    2. Liz Shaw

      December 03, 2018 at 12:14 am

      5 stars
      You are hilarious! Love the eye mask and I love this recipe!

      Reply
    3. Emily Kyle

      December 10, 2018 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      OMG the bloopers for this one 🙂 Almost as good as the soup itself!

      Reply
    4. Mary Jane Wilson

      January 23, 2020 at 7:51 pm

      5 stars
      My go to soup recipe in cold weather!
      Served this New Years Day and had NO leftovers!
      ☹️ So I made another pot! Easy and delish.

      Reply
      • Meme

        January 27, 2020 at 12:46 pm

        YESSSSS!! This makes me so happy! Thanks for coming back to share 🙂

        Reply
    5. Dru Hopkins

      February 15, 2021 at 7:55 am

      Looks perfect. Do you cook the sausage before adding to the crockpot?

      Reply
      • Meme

        February 16, 2021 at 12:44 pm

        Thanks! It depends on the sausage you use. For a link sausage, you simply need to slice and add. A ground, uncooked sausage would need to be cooked and crumbled prior to adding to the slowcooker.
        Hope that helps!

        Reply
    6. Buddy

      December 26, 2022 at 9:18 am

      5 stars
      This is the Best SoupI have ever had! I would recommend this recipe for New Years! My family uses this recipe every year and it all tastes better and better!

      Reply
      • Meme

        December 26, 2022 at 9:22 am

        yayyyy!! Thank you so much for coming back to share 🙂

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    5 from 18 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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    Meme holding Watson at a restaurant in san diego.

    Hi, I'm Meme!

    A thirty-something registered dietitian nutritionist here to help you enjoy food, make eating easier, and live free of diets & shame.

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