This is the perfect quick, delicious, and filling Potlikker Soup. This easy soup is filled with peas, smoky ham, and southern collard greens!
Now, I’ll admit that this isn’t TRUE potlikker soup because it doesn’t use the leftover broth from cooking greens. BUT, it has the same great taste as that flavorful liquid, is ready in half the time, and keeps the greens in it rather than just having the leftover broth.
It’s a hearty and filling soup and one that you can customize with your own favorite beans, vegetables, and greens. I like to whip this up on New Year’s Day using a pot of greens, such as my personal favorite – collards. Then I throw in black-eyed peas and tomatoes. You could use nearly any green and any combination of beans or peas that you like. Enjoy!
What is a potlikker?
If you’re a true Southerner, then you probably already know exactly what potlikker is. For those that may not… It’s the delicious, vitamin-rich broth that’s left over when cooking greens – be they collards, turnip greens, kale, etc.
It is crazy delicious, but also full of vitamins and minerals being that most of them cook out of the greens. In fact, many old-school doctors used to suggest drinking pot likker soup for a variety of ailments but especially anemia being that the broth is rich in iron. It’s also chock-full of vitamins K and C, though they vary depending on which green it is that you’re cooking. Regardless, it’s good stuff and it’s good for you.
And, I’m going to go ahead and stop you before you try to tell me that it’s “pot liquor” instead of “potlikker.” See this letter to the editor, from then Lt. Governor of Georgia Zell Miller, printed in the New York Times in 1982 for reference.
Ingredient FAQs
Vegetable Oil – You only need a tablespoon for this recipe. If you don’t have vegetable oil around, you could also use canola oil or olive oil in its place.
Ham – This recipe calls for one pound of chopped ham. This can be ham steaks straight out of the refrigerated case at the grocery store (that’s what I used) or it can be leftover pieces from a large ham. You could even use ham hocks or jowl if you wanted to. It’s completely up to you. You’ll just want to be sure it’s smoked ham so that it gives the soup that smokey flavor.
Onion – Nothing fancy here! Just grab a large yellow or white onion. Yellow onion has a bit of a sweeter taste, while the white onion has a bit more of a bite to it. It’s totally up to you and your taste preferences!
Garlic – I really recommend freshly minced garlic. You just can’t achieve the same rich and fresh flavor with a powder or pre-minced garlic.
Chicken Broth – You will need 8 cups for this recipe, so make sure you have plenty on hand. If you can’t find chicken broth you could also use beef broth in its place. But, of course, the flavor will be different.
Chopped Collard Greens – You can really pick any green of your choice. I just prefer collard greens for the flavor. I also like to grab the pre-chopped, frozen bag to save myself time and remove the risk of my collards going bad before it’s time to cook. You simply throw these in the pot frozen, and they really do thaw and cook to tender perfection.
Black-Eyed Peas – Go ahead and grab the canned black-eyed peas and save yourself the time of making black-eyed peas on your own. It’s so much quicker that way and doesn’t make that big of a difference in the flavor. However, if you absolutely insist on making your own black-eyed peas, I recommend following my Southern Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas recipe. They are delicious if I do say so myself! Either way you make them or buy them, make sure you drain them before you put them in the pot on the stove.
Tomatoes – Here is another area in this recipe where you can save yourself some time and sweat. Go ahead and get the canned petite diced tomatoes. You’ll thank me!
Recipe Card
Quick and Easy Potlikker Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound smoked ham, chopped (about 3 cups chopped)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen chopped collard greens (or other green of your choice)
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ham and onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, cook about a minute more. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the frozen greens. Bring back up to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the rinsed peas and drained tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Susan
Absolutely excellent!! I made it exactly as the recipe notes and it was perfect. I’m thinking of trying it with fire roasted tomatoes next time. A bit hesitant since this original is so delicious. Any thoughts of this change?
Awesome, Susan! So glad to hear it turned out great for you! I do think the fire roasted tomatoes will add another layer of flavor and would be delicious!
Otto
I made a pot of it this morning. It is silly simple! It is also extremely tasty and hearty. A great way to use up any Xmas ham you have. Only thing I did different was I used collard greens from the produce. The store didn’t carry the frozen stuff. I also added carrots.
It looks delish! Glad you enjoyed it!
sanpaku
while we’re a huge fan of potlikker soup, this recipe is a twist with the black eyed peas and tomatoes.
we eat this soup so often throughout the year. rarely any leftivers to be had. also us the only way to get my boys to eat greenslol
Hope you’ll enjoy this version!
Sharon Doan
One of the most delicious soups I have ever eaten. I love collard greens, for starters, and every ingredient was on my “ delicious” list. A total winner.
thank you so much!
Christy
I make this soup all the time during the winter months! We serve with cornbread. I grew up and still live in North Georgia and grew up on collard greens and potlikker!
My family loves this soup and the leftovers are even better! I add diced carrots most times and it’s a great addition. Thanks for a keeper!
Josie
This is my go-to for New Years since I’ve found it- alongside a cast iron skillet full of cornbread. Coming from a “use what you have” home/mentality, I have used fresh collards or dried BEP, or added in side meat or bacon and it all works. It’s such a great combo of flavors you could probably get away without salt and pepper. Simple and delicious recipe, keep up the great work Stacey!
Thanks, Josie! Glad you enjoyed this one! It’s one of my favorite recipes.
Melinda
I have some leftover greens that I will be using. It appears this recipe could be frozen. What say you? As it is just myself and my husband, I’m always looking for ways to use up leftovers AND freeze for another meal.
Those should be perfect. Yes, this should freeze just fine.
Deborah Thompson
Stacey, I can’t WAIT to try this! Wish I’d seen it earlier I -it’s like New Years Day Dinner in a pot! Just the name brings back some of my fondest memories growing up, with all the women in the kitchen–talking about this dish or that dish will render the best potlikker. <3
Ha! Hope it turns out great for you!!
Angela
Made this delicious soup with leftovers.
Leftover greens from Easter, found fresh spinach in my crisper, had fresh pot of beans from day before, can of rotel, leftover oxtails.. Was smack yourself delicious.. Thank you!
Sounds amazing!!! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Donna Scott
I make mine with turnip greens and white beans.
Yum!
Amy Y.
I’m sorry if someone asked this and I missed it… but what is the rest of the nutritional info. I’m a T2 and just need to know the carbs and fiber. 🙂 Thank you!
Hey Amy! I don’t calculate that info but you should be bale to do that pretty easily by googling “nutrition calculator.”
Noreen
How funny! The soup looks scrumptious. I would have guessed it would be spelled pot licker (as in lick the pot, cause it’s so good – like lick the bowl the cake batter was in).
Ha! These colloquial words are so fun!
jojo
Once again ad nauseam………, ad infinitum must we be witness to yet another pretender concocting some new form (read: abortion) of a classic with ingredient that has NO place in said classic? Seriously.
Oh….., look at me everyone, here’s my “creation” or take on a classic that I’m going to screw with and foist upon you, you’ll love it……….
Hey, you forgot to add a healthy amount of smoked possum, curry, dill, soy “milk”, fish sauce, peanut butter, rhubarb, star anise, hoisin sauce, Chartreuse, ketchup, quinoa and a shot of organic, fair trade, sustainable, non GMO, free range espresso from Saskatchewan…………………
Whew! So glad you got that out! Enlightening!
Susan
I’m right there with you! I get so tired of reading recipes that are nothing like the original version. So, yeah. Ok. An extra bit of garlic (that would be me) or 2 slices of bacon? You can count on me to add 3 slices. But I don’t butcher a recipe then post about my concoction. Enjoyed your rant!
Gerri
I made this last night with field peas rather than black eyed peas and used rotel tomatoes instead of diced canned tomatoes.. and served it over white rice.. it was good.. but tonight it tasted even better… leftover foods tend to taste better the next day..
Awesome! Yep, this is one of those things that is even better leftover. 🙂
Sparks
Lol at the letter to the NYT. The link I followed spelled it Potlickker which was a variation I hadn’t seen before. Po-tay-to, pa-tah-to.
🙂
Nicoal
Shared on FB. Love your recipes! 🙂
Thanks!!
Christy
I make this soup all the time during the winter months! We serve with cornbread. I grew up and still live in North Georgia and grew up on collard greens and potlikker!
My family loves this soup and the leftovers are even better! I add diced carrots most times and it’s a great addition. Thanks for a keeper!
So glad to hear y’all have enjoyed it!!
Meredith
I just made this and it was absolutely fantastic! I could eat it every day! Thank you for an easy, wonderful recipe! 🙂
You are so welcome! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Amy
I made this for dinner tonight. It is amazingly delicious. I substituted lentils for the black eyed peas though. We currently live in Germany so frozen greens are my only option. I was so happy to see a recipe that called for frozen instead of fresh.
Sounds delicious! SO glad y’all enjoyed it, Amy!
Connie Quintana
My Mama called it potlikker too but she also called the juice in which she cooked lima beans, butter beans, or any kind of beans potlikker. My Southern California husband has learned to LOVE any kind of greens and beans and he knows now what potlikker is.
Glad to know you’ve got him straight! 🙂 LOL
diane
I love Potlikker Soup! I have made the turnip version using only canned veggies and smoked sausage several times. Anxious to try this one with ham and frozen greens, it’s gotta be just as good! And, hot cornbread is a definite must with this soup! Southern eatin’ at its best!!
Yes, hot cornbread IS a must!
Linda McCollum
This recipe looks awesome. I plan to try it for our church’s Lenten Wednesday Soup Suppers (since my husband won’t eat greens. I grew up eating collard greens, mustard greens or turnip greens at least once a week. Thanks for posting the recipe. I found you on Facebook with your Red Beans and Rice recipe. I plan to order your cookbook, too.
Elaine
I thought my husband and I would be eating this alone. Come to find out, the kids loved it. I will have to double it. I was lucky to get a taste. Next time, I am going to cook it with Tasso instead of the ham. I think it will be great.
Sounds like a delicious addition! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Susan
Perfect for the weather we’re having in South Carolina tonight. My family gave it ‘thumbs-up’!
Mary
Words can’t describe how truly delicious this soup is..amazingly good! This is my go to recipe for all my greens, soup or as a side! Stacy, my husband thanks you for posting this recipe, and if my hubby is happy than I’m happy. He was very happy!!! Thanks.
Well I’m happy that y’all are happy so that makes a bunch of happy people! LOL! I’m just thrilled y’all have enjoyed it so much!!
Leigh
I am always looking for great tasting low carb recipes. I can’t wait to try this out. It looks delicious!!! Thanks!!!
Hope you enjoy it!!
Natille
I made this for my family last night and they loved it. I added a few noodles and used butter beans instead of black-eyed peas. This is wonderful, quick and easy. Thanks Stacey!
Sounds delicious! So glad they enjoyed it!
Sharon
I love learning new terms. I never heard of this before and look forward to making it tonight 🙂
I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Lori
This reminds me the way my great-grandmother and my granny used to make this dish for family gatherings and reunions. I can still the remember smells and conversations and laughter while they were preparing this awesome dish. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Lori, I just love how food can connect us to our past like that!
Margy
Reading this recipe made my mouth water.
I love to hear that!
Mike
That looks (and sounds) delicious!
I always thought it was “pot liquor” but if Zell Miller said otherwise, I’m apt to believe him. (one of my favorite politicians ever)
Thanks, Mike! 🙂
Gail
Same here, Mike. Of course, it makes me think of the saying, “a rose by any other name, would still smell as sweet’!!! LOL!
🙂