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Southern Soul Food Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

These Southern Soul Food Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas are made using your pressure cooker and perfect for Sunday dinners and the New Year’s holiday. This no soak recipe uses dried beans and seasoned with smoked turkey.

Instant Pot black eyed peas in a white bowl
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dried black eyed peas, chopped onions, smoked turkey, Creole seasoning, and chicken broth

For all of my life my family has eaten black eyed peas to bring in the New Year. We would also eat them for typical family dinners alongside a nice pot of collard greens. A pound of peas costs about $1. Making the entire meal is less than $10 in cost. It’s very economical and we ate this dish quite a bit!

The Southern Tradition for New Years surrounds the belief of luck and prosperity. The tradition states this dish should be your first meal of the year.

And though they are called peas, they are actually beans. Like most beans, these are very nutritious and loaded with fiber and protein.

collage photo of 4 photos showing chopped onions in an Instant Pot and sauteed turkey

Do You Need to Soak Them?

You don’t need to soak these thanks to the Instant Pot! If you do soak your beans you can try cutting the cook time in half. What’s the best way to cook them? Pressure cooking for sure.

Traditionally, these are soaked overnight in order to reduce the cooking time. If you’re worried about gas, soaking beans has been said to assist with that. In general, black eyed peas are a lot less gassy than pinto beans and black beans.

What Meat is Used to Season the Peas

My family switched from using salt pork and ham hocks to season our beans years ago. We now use either a smoked turkey leg or turkey wing. I love to use turkey wings, too, but sometimes they are harder to find. I find it in the meat section of my grocery store. You may have to ask around for it or use another option listed below.

You can of course still use ham hocks, salt pork, country ham, or even bacon. If you are planning to use bacon I recommend that you cook the bacon in the Instant Pot on the Saute’ function, and omit the olive oil used in this recipe. Cook the onions in the bacon fat.

Remove the bacon and crumble. Set aside until after the black eyed peas have cooked. Sprinkle the bacon throughout once cooked.

How to Make Southern Soul Food Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  1. Saute onions and garlic in the Instant Pot on the saute function.
  2. Add in rinsed black eyed peas, broth, a turkey leg, Creole Seasoning, and a bay leaf.
  3. Pressure Cook.
dried black eyed peas in the Instant Pot with a smoked turkey leg

How Long to Cook/Cook Time

Cook them for 30 minutes and then allow steam to release naturally for 10 minutes prior to release.

How to Double the Recipe

You can double the black eyed peas and use the same amount of smoked turkey or opt for one slightly larger. The cook time will remain the same.

cooked black eyed peas in the Instant Pot

How to Make the Dish Vegetarian

Omit the smoked turkey. Use vegetable broth. Add in 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for flavor.

How Long Will They Last in the Fridge

They will last 3-5 days in the fridge, tightly covered.

a wooden spoon of black eyed peas in an Instant Pot

Freezer Tips

These will freeze for up to 9 months. I often freeze my batch for New Year’s in advance! This is a great hack. Be sure to store them tightly sealed. I like to leave them in the broth so that when I defrost they are loaded with flavor.

I like to use the slow cook function for a couple of hours to defrost.

Instant Pot black eyed peas in a white bowl

Mushy Black Eyed Peas

Overcooking can result in mushy peas. Be careful not to leave the cooked peas in the covered pot for too long. This may alter the texture.

Peas That Are Too Firm

If your black-eyed peas are too firm, it’s possible they didn’t cook long enough. Add a few more minutes to the cooking time and check the texture after that.

Check the age of the peas. Older beans may take longer to cook and may never become as soft as fresher ones. Using fresh black-eyed peas can make a significant difference in the final texture.

Instant Pot black eyed peas in a white bowl with cornbread

If you love rice and peas, pair this with Instant Pot Brown Rice.

More Ways to Cook Black Eyed Peas

Slow Cooker Crockpot Black Eyed Peas
Southern Black Eyed Peas

More Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Collard Greens
Instant Pot Green Beans

Instant Pot Cabbage

More Southern Recipes

Southern Style Soul Food Baked Mac and Cheese
Southern Homemade Cornbread
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes
Southern Mustard Greens
Southern Cornbread Dressing

Southern Potato Salad
Instant Pot Baked Beans

Instant Pot black eyed peas in a white bowl
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5 from 34 votes

Southern Soul Food Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

These Southern Soul Food Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas are made Southern-style using your pressure cooker and perfect for Sunday dinners and the New Year's holiday. This no soak recipe uses dried beans seasoned with smoked turkey.
Save this recipe here.
Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine Southern
Keyword Instant Pot black eyed peas, pressure cooker black eyed peas
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
natural release of steam 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 119kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the Instant Pot on the saute function and add the olive oil.
  • When hot add the onions and garlic. Saute until translucent and fragrant.
  • Add in the chicken broth, black eyed peas, smoked turkey leg, Creole seasoning, and bay leaf. Stir.
  • Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Cook for 30 minutes Manual > High Pressure.
  • When the pot indicates it has finished, allow steam to release naturally for 10 minutes.
  • Open up the pot and remove the bay leaf and smoked turkey leg. If you like meat in your black eyed peas, use 2 forks and shred the turkey and return it to the pot. Taste repeatedly and add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
  • Serve the black eyed peas using a slotted spoon.

Video

Notes

  • Rinse the black eyes peas first to remove any surface dirt.
  • I find smoked turkey in the meat section of the grocery store. Ask around if you can’t find it or use a substitute noted below.
  • You can use ham hocks, salt pork, country ham, or even bacon to season the greens. If you are planning to use bacon I recommend that you cook the bacon in the Instant Pot on the Saute’ function, and omit the olive oil used in this recipe. Cook the onions in the bacon fat.
  • You can substitute Creole Seasoning for 1/4 teaspoon of paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, and dried basil.
  • You can double the ingredients in the recipe. The cook time will remain the same.
  • To make these without an Instant Pot, soak the beans overnight. Add all of the ingredients to a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover and simmer on low for 3-4 hours until soft.
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Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g
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Nutrition DataMacros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Recipe Rating




Joni

Friday 12th of January 2024

I loved your recipe! Thanks Brandi!

staysnatched

Tuesday 23rd of January 2024

Thank you!

TS

Monday 1st of January 2024

10/10! No more soaking for me!

staysnatched

Monday 1st of January 2024

Ever!

erin garcia

Monday 1st of January 2024

I made the vegetarian version of these and they were so tasty. The instructions and tips were helpful as always. Happy new year, Brandi!

staysnatched

Monday 1st of January 2024

Yay! Happy New Year!

Debbie

Sunday 31st of December 2023

I've NEVER used a recipe to cook black-eyed peas! Never! But I had gotten an InstantPot and decided to use it to save time. So I scoured the internet for how to cook them in my IP. This recipe is spot on times 100! I am from the deep south and I know good peas/beans when I eat them! If you've not tried this version, do it this year! I promise you won't regret it at all. It's my go-to recipe for black-eyed peas!

staysnatched

Tuesday 2nd of January 2024

haha! I love to hear that.

Melissa

Sunday 1st of January 2023

It was my first time trying black eyed peas and they were delicious! I made the full recipe but it’s just me so I appreciate the freezer instructions. Thanks!

staysnatched

Tuesday 3rd of January 2023

Freezing is clutch!