Black Eyed Peas Recipe

This Black Eyed Peas Recipe is a Southern New Year’s Day tradition. Since the peas swell when cooked, they symbolize prosperity, and who wouldn’t want that for the upcoming year! Made with ham, bacon and lots of veggies, these black eyed peas are a perfect meal.

So, we’ve established that eating black-eyed peas on January 1 will bring you a year’s worth of prosperity. But the good luck won’t stick, according to many legends, if you don’t eat them with greens (which symbolize money), cornbread (which symbolizes gold), and pork (which symbolizes luck). However, don’t let that stop you from eating them anytime of the year. They are great as a main meal or a fantastic side dish.

Black-eyed peas have a dense and firm texture, and when cooked, the consistency will soften slightly, developing neutral, nutty, earthy, and savory flavors. I love them because not only do they taste great, they are also extremely healthy and packed full with nutritious benefits.

Black Eyed Peas Highlights

PROSPERITY. Black eyed peas symbolize prosperity when eaten for New Year’s. That works for me!.

HEALTH BENEFITS. They support weight loss, improve heart health, and promote digestive health. 

HEARTY AND FILLING. Since they are a hearty and filling dish, you can easily make a meal out of them by themselves and with tons of fiber, they will keep you feeling full.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Black eyed peas – This is the star of the dish and I used a pound of dry black eyed peas. Make sure you rinse them well first to remove any dirt and debris.
• Bacon – Use uncooked bacon that’s chopped in about ⅜-½-inch pieces. Bacon just makes everything taste better.
• Onion – I use a large yellow onion that’s been diced. Onion is great for adding a lot of flavor to most dishes.
• Celery – A couple of diced celery sticks are used here.
• Garlic – I minced some garlic to add that unique pungent flavor that borders on nutty.
• Jalapeño  – Some minced jalapeño will kick up the heat a tad. Feel free to add more to your preference or omit it entirely.
• Ham – I use some diced cooked leftover ham providing a bit of salty, rich and smokiness to the dish.
• Broth – I use low sodium chicken broth which will impart lots of flavor without any added salt.
• Bay leaf – A dried bay leaf will add a subtle flavor layer that’s going to lend a little more depth.
• Salt/pepper – Black pepper is used and the salt will enhance the flavors in the dish.

How To Make Black Eyed Peas

Prepare the black eyed peas. First you’ll want to thoroughly rinse the black eyed peas to remove any debris. Then place them in a large pot and cover with water. Soak the peas overnight, then drain and rinse. See Expert Tips below to speed up this process.

Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat until brown and crispy, about 5 minutes or until desired. Transfer the bacon to a paper lined plate and set aside.

Cook veggies. To the pot, add the onion, celery, garlic and jalapeno and cook for another 3 minutes until the vegetables soften.

Add all ingredients and cook. Add the ham, chicken broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper and drained peas to the pot. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook with the lid on for about 60-80 minutes. Uncover and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the black eyed peas are soft.

Add bacon and season. Discard the bay leaf (although sometimes you really have to search for it) and stir in the bacon. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed with salt and pepper.

What Can I Serve With Black-Eyed Peas?

If you are not making black eyed peas specifically for the traditional meal, you can eat this as a main dish or as a side dish. If you’re serving it as a side to a larger meal, it goes well with things like ham, mashed potatoes, collard greens, cornbread, rice, green beans, mac and cheese or other vegetables.

Do I Need To Soak Black Eyed Peas Before Cooking?

Although not entirely necessary, this is the preferred method. It reduces cooking time and it also makes them easier to digest, especially for people who are not used to eating high fiber diets.

Are Black-Eyed Peas Really Beans?

Although called a pea, it is actually a bean. Both peas and beans are legumes, and both have edible seeds and pods.

What Are The Side Effects Of Eating Black Eyed Peas?

You may experience some bloating but soaking and cooking peas will reduce this. However, eating them can help you maintain healthy weight levels. They are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps the body with weight management. The protein and slow-digesting, high-quality carbohydrates in black eyed peas also help you feel full.

Expert Tips

1. To quickly soak the peas, add them to a pot and fill with water then bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove them from heat, cover and soak them for 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
2. If you want to thicken the black eyed pea soup/stew, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and about a half cup or so of the bean liquid. Slowly pour in small amounts and stir in the hot pot until you achieve the best consistency. You may not require the entire amount.
3. Add a touch of smoked paprika, cayenne, red pepper flakes, or chili powder if you like things hot

Leftovers

Refrigerate the cooked peas within 2 hours of cooking in an airtight container and use them within 4 or 5 days.

Freezer

Freeze cooked black-eyed peas in a shallow (no more than 3 inches deep) airtight container and use within 6 months.

More Great Recipes To Try

• Rocky Road Brownies
• Sautéed Peas
• Congo Bars
• Instant Pot Tuscan White Beans
• Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad
• Asparagus and Peas Pasta Salad
• Black Pepper Chicken