Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens – Smoky, spicy, and hearty, these black-eyed peas, complemented by the bitter notes of collard greens and salty fried bacon, are soul food at its finest. If you’re looking for a down-home meal that screams comfort, this is your dish.
Beans are my jam! It’s probably because back in grade school, my aunt would cook us kids a simple bean dish with just onions, salt, and oil that was deliciously satisfying. For me, any dish with beans transports me back home and satisfies my soul.
Black-eyed peas with collard greens are no exception. This Southern classic takes simple ingredients and turns them into something that makes people clean their plates and come back for seconds. Plus, it’s nice and easy to make.
A New Year’s Recipe for Good Luck
A lot of folks like to prepare collard greens and black-eyed peas for New Year’s. Southerners believe it’s a dish that will bring you good luck and prosperity in the new year. Black-eyed peas supposedly represent coins and collard greens dollar bills.
I can’t guarantee this meal will bring you a prosperous year, but I do know black-eyed peas and collards will brighten your day. So, having a delicious recipe for black-eyed peas on hand is already good luck.
Recipe Ingredients
- Black-Eyed Peas – These beans boast a smoky flavor that I love. Plus, they’re packed with protein. Delicious and nutritious! If you use already cooked black-eyed peas, add them at the end and heat through.
- Collard Greens – A Southern favorite, collard greens have bitter notes that work beautifully with the smoky, savory peas.
- Chicken Broth – With a rich, umami flavor profile, this ingredient creates the dish’s stew-like consistency and enhances the other flavors.
- Ham – I like to add a little meaty goodness to my beans and greens, and ham hocks really add depth of flavor. Other good options are bacon, sausage, and leftover smoked turkey.
- Aromatics – Does any savory dish taste better than one built around caramelized onion and garlic? Add to those two heavy hitters the earthy, herby aroma of thyme, and not only will this dish taste spectacular, but your kitchen will smell heavenly.
- Seasonings – Get out the good old S&P and then add some gorgeous color and flavor with Creole seasoning.
How to Make Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
Prep the Beans
- Soak – Sort through the black-eyed peas, removing any debris or broken peas. Put peas in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready, place the beans in a stovetop pressure cooker and cook till they’re soft, about 12-15 minutes (you can use a regular cooking pot for this process, but it will take longer). Rinse with water and set it aside.
- Cook the Ham – Heat oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Spread the ham hock in the bottom of the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Saute – Once the meat browns, add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and continue sautéing for 2 more minutes or until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Cook the Peas
- Collards – Stir a big handful of the collards into the pot, coating them with the onion/garlic mixture until they wilt slightly. Repeat, stirring and packing in the rest of the collards as they wilt. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Simmer– Add the cooked peas to the collards, then add the Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, and chicken broth. Stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 12-15 minutes.
- Serve – Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- If you want to make this dish in a hurry, substitute the dried black-eyed peas with canned ones. Add them 10 minutes before the rest of the ingredients finish cooking to heat them up, and the dish is ready.
- For a thicker, creamier consistency, mash a few cooked beans against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. Alternatively, you can remove about a cup, puree them in a blender (food processor), and then add them back to the pot.
- Always opt for chicken broth over water if you have it available. The broth adds a ton of flavor to the dish.
FAQs
Technically, it’s not a necessary step. However, soaking dried peas for a few hours or overnight makes them easier to digest and shortens the cooking time.
Bacon, sausage, and the seasonings make for a flavorful dish with black-eyed peas at the heart of it all. Tomato sauce also adds a lot of flavor. And coconut milk gives these peas a unique twist.
Many Southerners put clean pennies and dimes into their pot of black-eyed peas to bring luck and prosperity to their family. Traditionally, the one who gets the most coins in their bowl is considered the luckiest.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Black-eyed peas and collard greens freeze surprisingly well. They’re ideal for making ahead, which is why I love making a big batch and freezing half for later.
To store this dish, let it cook and put it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat thawed beans, put them in a pan over medium-low heat and stir until heated through, or just pop them in the microwave. If they seem a little dry, add a touch of water or chicken broth.
More Classic Southern Recipes to Try
- Honey Butter Biscuits
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Creamy Southern Crab Salad
- Southern Fried Chicken
- Southern Style Cornbread
Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and cooked until soft (or two 15-ounce cans of black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed)
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- 1 ham hock, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons (6g) minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon (1g) minced thyme
- 1 teaspoon (3g) Creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3-5 cups (100-180g) collard greens, coarsely chopped
- 3 cups (700ml) low-sodium chicken broth or water
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sort through the black-eyed peas, removing any debris or broken peas. Put peas in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready, place the beans in a stovetop pressure cooker and cook until they're soft, about 12-15 minutes (you can use a regular cooking pot for this process, but it will take longer). Rinse with water and set it aside.
- Heat oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Spread the ham hock in the bottom of the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Once the meat browns, add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and continue sautéing for about 2 more minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Stir a big handful of the collards into the pot, coating them with the onion/garlic mixture until they wilt slightly. Repeat stirring and packing in the rest of the collards as they wilt. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the cooked peas to the collards, then add the Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, and chicken broth. Stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 12-15 minutes—season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!