Black Eyed Peas Instant Pot

Black-eyed peas are not a food that a lot of people have tried.

It is most known as a dish popular in the Southern region of the United States, also known as The South.

I feel like this version is the best type of black-eyed pea dish to serve to someone who has never had black-eyed peas.

I think it blends a new food into flavors that a lot of people are familiar with. Plus, to put it simply, this dish was super delicious when I made it!

History of Black Eyed Peas

Traditionally, black-eyed peas are eaten on New Years Day for good luck and prosperity during the coming year.

Collard greens are another traditional New Year’s Day dish in the South, which is why I included a bit of it in the recipe below. You can find our Instant Pot Collard Greens recipe here.

Black-eyed peas have a unique flavor.

They are rather healthy on their own, and black-eyed peas are usually soaked overnight to speed up cooking.

However, with an Instant Pot cooking can take far less time because you don’t need to pre-soak them.

Variations

As someone who grew up in the South, to a Southern mother, I am familiar with different uses for black-eyed peas.

One classic use is in a dish colorfully called, Hoppin’ John.

A different use is in a dressed-down version mostly seasoned with salt and pepper and showcases the flavor of black-eyed peas.

Another use is in a salad, with a vinegar-based dressing. Lastly, black-eyed peas can be used in a richer, meatier black-eyed peas dish. That type is the type I have posted here.

From the research I have done, it seems relatively common to pick through the peas for rocks and broken or unsightly peas.

You do need to rinse them, though!

I’m somewhat doubtful that this is still a significant issue with modern farming and food processing technology, but I guess it couldn’t hurt to look through your black-eyed peas a bit before cooking with them.

I didn’t pick out any peas or find and rocks and the dish tasted great to me.

FAQ

What Instant Pot do you use? I have both the Instant Pot DUO 60 6 Quart and the Instant Pot Ultra 8 Quart. Both work great with this recipe.

What is the nutrition for black-eyed peas? 1 cup has about 200 calories, 35 grams of carbohydrates, .9 grams of fat, and 13 grams of protein.

Are black-eyed peas Keto? 1 cup would have about 35 grams of carbs (around 24 net carbs), which is a bit high for a Keto-based diet.

Are black-eyed peas high in fiber? They have about 11 grams of fiber, which is great!

Are black-eyed peas good for diabetics? Because of the higher fiber content, they can be a good choice for diabetics. Make sure you pair it with protein!

Do black-eyed peas need to be soaked? If you are cooking them on the stovetop, yes, you should soak them. However, in the Instant Pot, there is no need for soaking!

How can I make this vegetarian? You will need to make these without the bacon or pork and use a vegetable-based broth instead.

How to Cook Black Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil, or oil of choice
• 1/2 lb of pork or ham, diced
• 3 slices of thick-cut, smoked bacon, cut into about 1-inch sections
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 of 1 large onion, diced
• 2 Collard Green leaves, cut into little strips
• 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
• 3 cups of water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon (or 3 cups of chicken broth in place of the water)
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 lb bag of dried black-eyed peas, rinsed, check for rocks

Directions:

Set Instant Pot to Sauté, adjust to the highest setting.

Add vegetable oil, and let it heat up for a minute.

Add diced pork/ham and diced bacon. I used a small boneless rib for my pork, since that was the smallest amount I could get of fresh pork. Allow the meat to brown for 5-10 minutes. This will help prevent the meat from seeming boiled and soggy. If you add the onion too early, the moisture from the onion will prevent the browning.

Add diced onion, and cook until the diced onion is almost clear.

Add minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute.

Add collard greens.

Add water, chicken bouillon, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir and mix everything together.

Add rinsed black eyed peas.

Put the lid on, and set to Manual, High for 40 minutes.

Allow to naturally release pressure for 7-10 minutes.

Enjoy!