Black Eyed Peas Recipe (Southern Style, No Soaking)
No soaking required and just 15 minutes of hands-on work for these black-eyed peas with bacon. Dried peas simmer with onion, garlic, and smoky seasonings, then finish with butter, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and a 10-minute rest. Serves 6 to 8.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 309kcal
Equipment
- Dutch oven with a lid
- Colander
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth plus more only if needed during cooking
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Rinse the black-eyed peas in a colander, picking out any small stones or shriveled peas. No soaking is needed.
- Cook the chopped bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel with a slotted spoon, leaving the grease in the pot.
- Add the onion to the bacon grease and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the black-eyed peas, 6 cups chicken broth, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer about 1 hour, until the peas are creamy all the way through with no chalk in the center. Older dried peas can take up to 90 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat, stir in the butter, vinegar, and most of the bacon. Let it sit 10 minutes before serving. Don't skip the vinegar: the 2 teaspoons balance the richness of the bacon and butter without making the peas taste vinegary.
- Spoon the peas and their broth into bowls and top with the remaining bacon.
Notes
Keep the simmer gentle. If the pot bubbles hard on low, move it to a smaller burner. A hard boil can split the skins and reduce the broth too quickly.
Start with 6 cups of broth. Add extra during cooking only if the peas need it. The finished dish should be brothy, like a loose stew.
Judge by texture. Older dried peas take longer to soften. Keep simmering and check every 10 minutes until creamy all the way through.
Always rest for 10 minutes. Take the pot off the heat, stir in the butter, vinegar, and most of the bacon, then let it sit before serving.
Leftovers: Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers and use within 3 to 4 days. Add a splash of broth when reheating and heat to 165°F.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 729mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 5mg
