Crockpot Black-eyed Peas

This Crockpot Black-eyed Peas recipe helps make the perfect comfort food, New Year’s Day meal. Packed with the smoky flavor of smoked turkey and vegetables, you can enjoy this as a side dish or main dish. This slow cooker black eyed peas recipe uses just a few simple ingredients. Plus, you don’t need to soak the peas before cooking.

Why Slow Cook Southern Black Eyed Peas

• Easy recipe with simple ingredients: This crock pot recipe is mostly dump-and-go and uses basic ingredients. You’ll add all the ingredients (except the seasonings, salt, and pepper) to the pot and slow cook for hours hands-off. 
• Cook slow and low with a no-soak method: You don’t need to soak the peas before cooking. Also, this method allows you to do other things as the beans slowly cook to tender.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to gather to make this easy recipe. Be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact ingredient amounts and full instructions.

• Smoked turkey necks: any smoked meat would work in this easy recipe. For example, you could also use bacon, smoked turkey leg, leftover ham, or ham hock.
• Yellow onions: I used and diced about half a yellow onion
• Bell peppers: I used diced red bell pepper, but any bell pepper would work well in this recipe.
• Cloves garlic: Minced
• Black-eyed peas: I use dry beans
• Water
• Better than chicken bouillon: this has much more flavor than chicken broth or chicken stock. So, I use this in many recipes in place of them.
• Bay leaves
• Black pepper
• Homemade Cajun seasoning: I use my homemade recipe. But, you can also use cajun seasoning from the grocery store and simply use it to season to taste at the end.

How To Make Crockpot Black Eyed Peas

1. Add the beans to a mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water for 1 minute. Allow to drain. Add smoked turkey, peppers, onions, garlic, beans, water, and bouillon. Stir to combine. Add the bay leaves.
2. Cover the crockpot and slow cook on high for 5.5-6 hours.
3. Remove the smoked turkey and pick off the meat. Add the smoked turkey meat to the pot. Stir the beans and add seasonings, salt, and pepper to taste. 
4. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Recipe Tips & FAQs

• Alternatives for smoked turkey: You can use any smoked meat like smoked bacon, ham hocks, etc.
• Vegetarian/Vegan option: Since the smoked meat contributes a lot of flavor to this dish, you can’t use omit the meat and use vegetable broth. So, I’d recommend using a tried and tested recipe like these vegan black-eyed peas. You can use the ingredients in the recipe with the cooking instructions that I use for the slow cooker.
• No need to thicken: this recipe will look loose at first. As the beans sit and cool down, they will thicken. There is no need to add things like cornstarch.
• To add a little kick or heat: you can serve this with hot sauce as well as a few dashes of red pepper flakes.

Storage and Leftovers

Store leftover crockpot black-eyed peas in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in freezer bags for up to 6 months.

What to Enjoy This With

Here are some other options to make the perfect New Years Day, good luck meal:

• Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes
• Collard Greens With Smoked Turkey
• Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
• Roast Turkey Legs
• Crispy Southern Fried Chicken

More Crockpot Southern Recipes

Here are some other slow cooker southern recipes to add to your menu:

• Crockpot Beef Tips & Rice
• Crockpot Slow Cooker Cornbread Dressing
• Slow Cooker Hot Crab Dip
• Crockpot Pork Chops, Apples & Onions
• Crockpot Cabbage