These Southern-style Black-Eyed Peas with ham, bacon, and collard greens are so full of flavor. The smoky ham and crispy bacon mix perfectly with the collard greens, giving them that Southern comfort feel I love.
They’re traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day for good luck, but I make them all year. They’re just too good to save for once a year! And the best part? They taste even better the next day, so I always make sure to cook enough for leftovers.
Sometimes, a simple pot of beans can be so satisfying. I have great recipes for Navy Beans and Cannellini Beans, and our Puerto Rican Habichuelas and Greek Butter Beans have amazing international flavors.
Today’s black-eyed peas recipe is my best version of a Southern staple.
Ingredient Needed
- Black-Eyed Peas: The star of the dish. I am using dried peas, but I’ll also give you directions for canned.
- Aromatics: Onion, carrot, celery and garlic.
- Chicken Broth: Using low sodium allows better control over the saltiness.
- Creole Seasoning and Thyme: Big flavor boosters. I recommend my homemade Creole Seasoning, it’s much better than store bought.
- Bay Leaves and Sage: These herbs add to the flavors. The sage is optional, but I had some leftover from our Christmas turkey, and it goes great here.
- Bacon and Ham: These add so much flavor. If you only have one or the other, simply double the amount.
- Collard Greens: A Southern staple.
Crockpot Black-Eyed Peas Recipe
First, I rinse and sort the black-eyed peas, making sure to get rid of any debris. Then, I soak them overnight in cold water. The next day, I just drain them, and they’re ready to go.
Next, I toss the peas into my slow cooker along with all the ingredients, except for the meats and collard greens. I cover it up and let it cook on low for about 4 hours. Simple and hands-off!
Once everything’s done, I remove the bay leaves, then give it a taste to see if it needs a bit more salt or pepper. After that, it’s ready to serve! I like to enjoy it with some cornbread or spoon it over rice for a heartier meal.
Stove Top Directions
If I’m in a hurry, I can have these black-eyed peas on the table in under an hour. I start by sautéing the onion, carrots, and celery in a little olive oil until they soften up, which takes about 5-10 minutes. Then I toss in the garlic and cook it for just a minute.
Next, I add the drained black-eyed peas, chicken broth, herbs, and seasonings. I bring everything to a low boil and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
After that, I stir in the meats and greens, cooking for another 10-15 minutes until the peas are nice and soft, just the way I like them.
Can I Use Canned Black-Eyed Peas?
Absolutely! Using canned black-eyed peas on the stovetop is the quickest option. I just sauté the aromatics as usual, then stir in the drained peas along with the rest of the ingredients. I make sure to use only 1 cup of chicken broth instead of four. After that, I bring it all to a simmer and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. Super quick and easy!
Jason’s Tips
- Soaking the Peas: If I forget to soak the peas overnight, I do a quick soak by boiling them for a few minutes and then letting them sit for an hour off the heat.
- Fresh vs. Dried Herbs: For the thyme, if I’m using dried instead of fresh, I use less since dried herbs are stronger, about a third of the fresh amount.
- Collard Greens: If I can’t find fresh collard greens, frozen ones are just as good. I thaw and drain them before adding them to the pot
- Consistency Check: If the dish is too thick for your liking, you can add a bit more broth or water. If it’s too thin, let it cook with the lid off for a while.
Ring in the New Year with these great slow cooker black-eyed peas. I don’t know if they really bring you luck, but they sure taste great!
For more great meals, check out our hand picked collection of Dinner Ideas for Tonight. Until next time…
Southern Black-Eyed Peas, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great bean recipes!
Cuban Black Beans
Harira Soup
Red Beans and Rice
Black Bean Chili
Three Bean Salad
Tuscan Bean Soup
Ful Medames
The BEST Black-Eyed Peas Recipe
These easy Southern Black-Eyed Peas with ham, bacon and collard greens are a great way to ring in the New Year. They can be cooked in a slow cooker or on stovetop.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp Creole seasoning
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 fresh sage leaves
- 4 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
- ½ pound ham, cubed
- 4 cups fresh collard greens
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method
- Place black-eyed peas in a large colander and thoroughly rinse them, discarding any small rocks or shriveled peas.
- Transfer the peas to a large pot and fill the pot with water. Allow to soak overnight, then drain.
- Place the drained black-eyed peas in a slow cooker along with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, chicken broth, Creole seasoning, thyme, bay leaves and sage. Mix well, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Stir in bacon, ham and collard greens. Again cover and cook for an additional 4 hours.
- Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust for salt. Serve with cornbread or over rice.
Stove Top Method
- Soak black-eyed peas according to steps 1 and 2 above.
- In a large pot, sauté the onion, carrots and celery in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until they start to soften up, about 5-10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add drained black eyes, chicken broth, herbs and seasonings. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in the meats and greens. Cook for 10-15 more minutes, or until the peas are softened to your liking.
Notes
Leftovers: These black-eyed peas make great leftovers, and are perfect for meal prep. Refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat on stove top over medium heat, or in the microwave, with a splash of additional water.
They also freeze well in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge the day before eating.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 426Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 32mgSodium 1774mgCarbohydrates 59gFiber 14gSugar 7gProtein 36g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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