This Southern Black Eyed Peas recipe is packed with flavor. It’s a traditional dish served for New Year’s Day considered to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year, but you’ll find these on Southern tables year-round.

Easy Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe

These black eyed peas have it all. They’re mildly spicy, filling, inexpensive and good for the soul food. Black eyed beans represent pennies while greens represent bills or dollars for the new year. This recipe for black eyed peas begins with dry beans. They’re inexpensive and seem to really absorb the flavor of the other ingredients extremely well. Don’t be intimated, although there are several steps they’re super easy to make! How do you make Southern Black Eyed Peas?

Soak Black Eyed Peas – Begin by covering the black eyed peas with water and let them soak for several hours or overnight. This helps tenderize the peas.
Bacon and Sausage – This meaty dish is filled with flavor. After rendering bacon in a large Dutch oven or pot add the andouille sausage to the drippings to brown.
Vegetables – Sauté together the celery and onion then add minced garlic. This really gives the black eyed peas a pop of flavor!
Combine – Drain the beans and add them to the pot with the chicken stock, seasonings and aromatics. Reserve the frozen collards to add at the end of cooking, since they’re optional.
Cook per the recipe until the black eyed peas are tender then enjoy with a side of hot buttered cornbread.

How to Make the BEST Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Southern Style Black Eyed Peas: One pound dry black eyed peas, bacon, onion, celery, smoked andouille sausage, chicken stock, Cajun or Creole seasoning, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaves, fresh aromatic thyme, collard greens, green onions and cornbread for serving.
Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A large bowl or pot for soaking the black-eyed peas, a 6 quart Dutch oven or similar heavy bottomed pot, sharp knife and cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, a large spoon for stirring and a ladle and bowls for serving.
Black eyed peas need to be soaked prior to cooking and picked over to remove any small stones or debris. The age of the beans and the amount of time they’re soaked can affect the cooking time greatly. Don’t skip soaking them for at least 4 hours.
You could opt to use smoked ham hocks in place of sausage. Add them to the pot with the black eyed peas and at the end of cooking remove them from the pot. Shred the meat using two forks then add the meat back to the pot and discard the bone.
You could also use turkey sausage in place of andouille sausage.
Crushed red pepper flakes are a must if you like spicy food. You could omit them and toss a diced jalapeno pepper into the onion and celery mix, if desired. You can also omit spice and serve hot sauce on the side.
Cajun and Creole seasonings vary in sodium content from brand to brand. Adjust the amount of salt in the recipe according to the brand you choose to use.
Frozen collard greens are super convenient to use. You could use fresh or even canned collards, if that’s your preference. Fresh collard greens will need to cook longer. You could also use kale which will cook quicker.
Quick Soak Method for Beans: Rinse the black eyed peas, and place into a pot. Cover with water allowing 1 inch over the top. Bring to a boil on the stove top and boil for 1 minute covered. Remove from the stove and allow the peas to sit for 1 hour covered. Rinse, then proceed with the instructions in the recipe. This same method will also work with pinto beans, navy beans, or butter beans.
Store cooked Black Eyed Peas in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat or in single servings in the microwave.
You can store leftovers in the freezer for up to 2 months.

More Southern Style Beans and Peas Recipes to Make

Lima Beans with Bacon are delicious as the main dish or a side dish at any meal.
This recipe for Creamed Peas will take you back to Grandma’s house.
Homemade Baked Beans topped with slices of bacon just like my Mom used to make.
This Sweet Pea Salad is perfection for the holidays and summer picnics alike.
My recipe for Pinto Beans includes a few ingredient updates that elevates the flavor.
Slow Cooked Country Ribs and Barbecue Beans simmer low and slow in a crockpot.
Black Bean Soup from Iowa Girl Eats.

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Southern Black Eyed Peas

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 15

Soaking time4

Total Time5 35

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: best-black-eyed-peas-recipe, southern-black-eyed-peas

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 544kcal

Ingredients

1 lb dry black eyed peas rinsed and picked over
6 slices bacon
8 oz smoked andouille sausage cubed
1 large sweet onion finely diced
1 rib celery diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
1/2-1 tsp salt adjust to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
7-8 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 medium bay leaves
2 tsp fresh thyme
2-3 cups frozen collard greens thawed (optional)
4 medium green onions, thinly sliced
cornbread or cooked white rice for serving

Instructions

Rinse and pick over black eyed peas then place into a pot or large bowl and cover with 3 inches (head space) of cold water. Let soak for 4 hours. Drain well
In a 6 quart Dutch oven or similar heavy bottomed pot cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from pot to a paper towel lined platter, then chop.
To the drippings in the pot, add andouille. Cook for 2-3 minutes then remove with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
Add onion and celery. Cook over medium high for 3-5 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic cook for 1 minute longer.
To the pot add drained black eyed peas, Creole or Cajun seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves and fresh thyme. Add 7 cups stock reserving 1 cup for the end of cooking to thin, if needed.
Cover and cook over low heat for 75-90 minutes or just until the black eyed peas are tender and the broth is creamy. Stir periodically to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot. (You may need to cook longer depending on how vigorously the beans simmer. Test and add or deduct time as needed)
To the pot add andouille, 1/2 cooked bacon and collard greens. Mix well, simmering uncovered for around 5-10 minutes or just until heated through and slightly reduced. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems. (This is the point you can add extra 1 cup stock to thin, if desired. Likewise to thicken, remove some black eyed peas from the pot and mash then add back to the pot.))
Serve immediately with cornbread garnished with reserved bacon and green onions.

Notes

Thicken the Beans: You can thicken the broth at the end of cooking by removing and mashing around 1/2 cup them returning to the pot.

Quick Soak Method: Rinse the black eye peas, and place into a pot. Cover with water allowing 1 inch over the top. Bring to a boil on the stove top and boil for 1 minute covered. Remove from the stove and allow the peas to sit for 1 hour covered. Rinse, then proceed with the instructions above. This same method will work with pinto, navy, or butter beans.

Nutrition

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Southern Black Eyed Peas

Easy Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe

How to Make the BEST Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe

More Southern Style Beans and Peas Recipes to Make

Thanks for visiting come back soon!

Southern Black Eyed Peas

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

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